The Hand of Time
by SilverSickle
Summary: When Dorothy is given an odd ring, the relationship between Roger and Dorothy is tested. What will become of them, when more then just memories are awoken? UPDATED FINALLY!
1. Chapter 1

AN: Wow two years of inactivity on FF, I return with a Big O fanfic that has been sitting in my computer for a long time. Its my first one for this section so be kind. There is probably OOCness too?

Chapter One:

Dorothy looked around the room, unable to bear Alan staring at her. So uncharacteristic of her personality, she could feel that insane smile stretch over his blood red mouth. His eyes followed her as she walked up to the piano that sat in the waiting area of Rosewater's office. How her fingers itched to play, to glide over smooth ivory with ease, hoping that one day someone would hear her song…

Why had that louse of a Negotiator leave her here, while he spoke with Rosewater?! She thought with irritation, sitting down on the seat, soft, so unlike the one at the mansion. Her hands came up to the cover and hesitated, catching the gaze of the bio android, who sat down, one thin leg thrown over the other. Casual haste.. Alan reminded her of a painting that she had once seen in Roger's room… A room that no one went in, not even Norman…

"You can play my dear" he purred

If Dorothy could be surprised she would have jumped, instead she gave a curt nod and opened the cover. Her breath caught, this piano was beautiful, finer and older then the one Roger owned.

Slowly it seemed her wired mind seemed to relax, the electricity that ran through her veins had become blood and in some strange way when she played, she almost felt human. Closing her eyes, long cool fingers glided over the piano, her tight lipped reaction loosening. Alan fetched a sigh, happy to see that she was relaxing. He had already known from what little record they had of Wayneright's factories that this android was far beyond any normal one. She possessed true memories, memories of a time before forty years ago. Memories of a plan that was created by the master of this stage…

"Dorothy do you know why you know that song?" he whispered gently, careful not to break the moment she had slipped into.

She didn't answer at first her pale lips parting her eyes not seeing the world in which was around her. A glint, a hint of a mortal life flickered in her eyes before she answered

"Because it is a memory, like the song I sing to Pero."

Alan nodded slipping next to her on the piano "I know this song too"

She slowed his eyes slipping over to his striped shoulder; she couldn't look him in the eyes then. His eyes… They disturbed her…

"It is my memory" she replied almost protectively

"But you never thought that you could share memories with another?"

"My data is limited on the information about shared memories. I cannot answer that question accurately" she began focusing back onto the ivory keys of the piano. Instro had told her of a slight variation in her tempo. She could not hear it, but it seemed that Alan did…. He had taken a deep breath and closed his eyes…

"You always have played it so beautifully…"

Dorothy opened her mouth to answer and he continued

"My nightingale"

Something in her snapped, she knew it could not be a damaged circuit malfunctioning, Norman had checked her this morning for such things.

Somehow her mouth felt dry even though she had no saliva,

"What did you call me?" she retorted a snap in her monotone voice.

"A nightingale, my one and only nightingale" he slipped even closer to her. The heat from his body touching her cold one… It was…. Roger had this heat all humans had this heat but…

Alan's…

Warm lips touched hers and she stopped playing, his lips lingered only briefly like the brush of a butterfly's wing. He pulled away and gazed at her, Dorothy just stared thinking about what just happened.

Was this what humans called a kiss?

"Why did you do that?" she asked genuinely interested.

"Because I wanted to see how you would react. But then I suppose you would act much different if Roger Smith was the one kissing your cold lips."

The very thought of that made Dorothy stiffen with sudden…. She didn't know what this illogical reaction was but… It made her uncomfortable… Such thoughts were not allowed in her well-ordered mind.

"I would act no different Alan Gabriel," she replied beginning to play again. Alan sighed positively overjoyed; he now knew that the gift he was going to give her was going to prove to be a real test for her.

"You're lying" he teased gently his voice rising in a softly flirtatious manner,

"I cannot lie I was not programmed to do so."

Alan really did love this side of her, the unflappable perpetually foul tempered android looked dare he say flustered? Her playing at the piano was rising and falling with more and more variation. Like her emotions that were sparking in all those circuits,

"I want you to have this as my gift" he said removing a brightly wrapped box from his breast pocket.

Dorothy turned her head though did not stop playing "Why should I take it?" she asked again.

"Because it is a gift from a man to a woman." Dorothy lips parted in what would have been a gasp. That flash of humanity flared once again in her eyes and Alan chuckled. He left it on the piano ledge and stood just as the door opened to Mr. Rosewater's office.

Dorothy stopped playing and her eyes settled on the pink box, quickly she slipped it into her breast pocket and followed Roger out the door.

When Alan was sure the both of them had gone he let out a very contrary chuckle before following Rosewater back into the office…

0000

In the Griffon Dorothy clutched the box in her hand, Roger was oblivious to her sudden flustering he stared stoically ahead his brow furrowed lightly with concentration.

"Roger, what gift does a man give a woman?" she suddenly blurted breaking the tense silence. Roger's black eyes flicked momentarily over to her and then back to the road

"Why would you ask something like that Dorothy?"

Dorothy paused before her tiny lips parted "I just want to know, that's all."

Roger seemed to consider his words carefully before answering her "a man can give many things to a woman…" he began and trailed off as they came to a stoplight. He now glimpsed the bright pink box in her pale gray hands.

"What is that?" he snatched it from her and pulled the ribbon apart, letting it drop into his lap. Opening the box he gasped, Roger seemed frozen where he sat before a car behind blared a loud honk. Handing it back to Dorothy he cleared his throat

Dorothy waited patiently

"Where did you get that Dorothy?"

Dorothy's fingers tightened around the box, she still hadn't seen what was in there….

"I found it in Rosewater's office."

"You're a poor liar Dorothy."

If she were human she would have cursed Roger Smith.

"Alan gave it to me as a gift." She replied coolly

"Alan!" Roger exclaimed his gloved hands suddenly tightening on the large steering wheel. He took a breath

"And you took it!" he turned to her as he slammed on the breaks, another ancient stoplight red.

"Yes I did… You're such a LOUSE Roger Smith." Dorothy cried feeling something strange happening to her. Her throat seemed to be tightening up, even though she had no esophagus to speak of.

"Do you KNOW what that is?" he inquired

Dorothy gently lifted up the small cover of the box and gasped "It is a ring." She said after a time.

Roger sighed "Yes I know that, but do you know what that kind of ring symbolizes?!"

"No" she said bluntly, Roger looked like he was going to explode from exasperation.

"Its an engagement ring"

Dorothy went very, very still something flashing through her mind. Something warm and amber colored filled with… Happiness.

"An engagement ring?" she whispered reaching out and touching the cool platinum of the band. Knowing that ore like this was very rare now…. And the stone, it was a very beautiful color like quicksilver… She held it up to the light and watched it glimmer the facets winking and sparkling dragging her into a world of memory…

"othy…."

"DOROTHY!"

Dorothy turned calmly to the Negotiator of Paradigm City

"Why are you so worked up Roger, Alan has no feelings for me nor I for him. This is just another trick that Rosewater is trying to play on you…" she then turned sharply to the window her red hair barely shifting.

The rest of the ride was tensely silent; Roger opened his mouth a few times to speak and decided to keep quiet.

Dorothy all the while was silently thinking, why would… A thought came to her, it ticked at her like a frayed wire. Was it… that… Roger Smith…. Had feelings for…

Swiftly Dorothy turned to him as they pulled into the garage of the old bank building still under construction and cried

"Are you vexed with me because you would have rather given this to me?"

Roger threw the car into park and stepped out of the car without so much as a glance in her direction…

And so ended the days activities, Dorothy solemnly returned to her duties with Norman with no more word of the ring or what happened in the morning. Silently though in the evening when everyone had gone to bed she took the strange ring from its nest of velvet and placed it on her finger. Watching it in the lone light of the kitchen bulb…Observing how it sparkled and shined.

NO SIDE.


	2. Chapter 2

Hand of Time: Chapter Two

A few days later :

Norman coughed fiercely and at that Dorothy raised her head from the ancient fireplace removing yet another shovel of black ash from its hulking interior.

"Norman it is not right for you to work in these conditions" she began plainly depositing the ash into the metal receptacle she would take to the mechanics when they were finished. It was strange she wondered if anyone ever wasted anything back before 40 years ago… It seemed that in all of Paradigm nothing was ever thrown away, something was always used to produce something else…

"I will be quite fine Miss. Dorothy please let us continue."

The old man then once again tucked into cleaning the ash, Dorothy knew from his labored breathing that the ash was affecting his lungs, humans really had no sophisticated filtering system to do the work for them…

Gently she placed her hand on his wide shoulder and squeezed gently Norman soundlessly met the deep amethyst color of her eyes.

"Norman please" she whispered her black hand staining the white of his shirt

For a long moment Norman seemed to gaze at her peculiarly and then his eyes strayed down to her hand where she was wearing the ring. He gasped his eyes widened

"Dorothy… has Master Roger proposed to you?!"

As if Norman burned Dorothy withdrew her hand "No he hasn't it was a gift, I like it so I am wearing it."

A strange emotion that she had never seen before crossed over his face "Who gave it you Dorothy?"

"I cannot tell you Norman"

Norman reached out and took her hand "Do you plan to marry this gentleman?"

Dorothy knew the technical definition of marriage her Father had programmed it into her as he did with many other abstract concepts such as hate and mistrust. But marriage to her in a realistic sense… Applied to a man and a woman was quite unfathomable in her well ordered mind.

"No I am not. But he gave it to me and I took it."

"That means you agree to his proposal by taking and wearing it." Norman replied removing the ring from her left hand and slipping it onto her delicate ring finger on her right.

"What did I agree too? To being his wife?" Dorothy asked watching the light reflect through the faceted deeps and hues of the translucent quicksilver stone.

"Yes you agreed to… joining your soul with his in a sacred ceremony that came from the Gods of Old…."

Dorothy looked up sharply staring deeply into Norman's good eye, his wheezing had died a little.

"But androids have no souls." She stated simply

Norman closed his good eye and sighed "Will you finish the fireplace alone Miss. Dorothy I am suddenly feeling quite tired." He released her hand and stood

Dorothy nodded "Yes Norman I will" and with that he left her. As Dorothy turned back to the largest, dirtiest fireplace in the house, which was obviously in Roger's room, she found herself perplexed. Few things ever perplexed her, but this…

A strange feeling was roiling and boiling in her chest, it made her circuits fire more rapidly, the electricity forming a great hum around her. She felt herself beginning to short rapidly loosing functioning in her legs and then arms. Frantically she tired to turned to make a noise but mercifully she blacked out and went away far away into the cold darkness of her shell…

0000

Exhausted Roger Smith returned to his abode and upon stepping from the grille of the elevator he noticed the immaculately clean receiving room was dead silent more so then usual since only three people lived in a building that at one time could have housed at least the hundred people with ease.

"Norman?" his deep voice echoed over the high ceilings, he waited and no answer came till he spied a piece of white paper on the coffee table, bending he took it up and quickly scanned it.

Roger took a deep breath… Norman was getting to old for things like cleaning the fireplaces, he would start having to hire servants soon or….

"Dorothy R. Wayneright!" he cried, that too was greeted the exact same way, silence….

With a frustrated, insolent huff he ascended the stairs to his bedroom to find it only half ajar. Rage boiling in him again he pushed open the door with a bang and froze.

There lying innocuously on his thick carpeted floor was Dorothy, her face was flushed, lips pink

He stifled the gasp that rose in his throat; his mouth hanging briefly open in disbelief and in three strides crossed the room to kneel beside Dorothy.

Gently he turned her on her back, she was still as heavy as a piece of metal but her face was flushed with life, her lips…

Carefully his thumb brushed across her mouth and he held his breath at the sensation of moist softness. In her strange sleep Dorothy pressed her lips together and sighed, Roger's whole body became still suddenly aware of how bad this would look if someone were watching…

"Dorothy" he whispered caressing the warmth of her face, flawless skin like silk beneath his touch, he saw the dark fan of lashes flutter briefly and quickly he drew his hand away unable to help himself.

Lying there like this she was so beautiful, like an undine dream that the nameless poets spoke of so long ago.

Why hadn't he admitted to himself in all these months that he was attracted to her… That he was somehow unable to look at another woman since she had come into his home, even Angel… who…

"Dorothy it is time to wake up" he began again his voice strained, when she did not stir he bent down and pressed his lips against hers.

It was then that Dorothy came alive; she gasped against the gentle pressure of his lips and pushed him away.

Caught by surprise Roger fell back with a yelp and she sat up straight, the color was leaving her cheeks the rosy tinge fading from her beautiful shaped lips.

"Did you kiss me Roger Smith?" she said in her perfectly monotone voice her posture stiff and doll like. To him this was the Dorothy that he knew well, totally unflappable and…

"I don't know what you are talking about" he replied arrogantly standing up and dusting his suit off.

"I know you kissed me, Alan…" she trailed off seeing Roger's face suddenly turn into a mask of what she had come to know as anger.

"Alan… what did he do to you Dorothy?" Roger asked gritting his teeth already knowing the answer.

"He kissed me like you did, but differently. It was different…His lips were warm and yours were hot like the water Norman boils for your coffee every morning."

She gracefully stood and waited for him to explode. She had to admit, his emotions had become almost science to her and this attempt at anger was halfhearted at most. He wasn't really angry at her… He was angry at…

Roger opened his mouth to explode and sighed "Dorothy you will never understand the difference because you aren't human and you can never be even close enough. Because… because humans have souls and androids don't."

Dorothy nodded "You are right my Father for all his brilliance couldn't bring back his dead daughter he could only create a visage which became me."

There was a brief pause before Dorothy spoke again

"I shall now go find Norman to perform a diagnostic check on all my systems since I shorted out when you had found me. Goodnight Roger."

In a few steps she was gone, and the door shut with a resounding finality.

0000

"What has happened Dorothy?"

Norman turned from his work on the mechanism in Big O's left eye to look down at the stiff form of Dorothy Wayneright. He was worried not only for the relationship that was occurring between Angel and his Master but for this poor child…

"I have shorted while cleaning the fireplace, Roger found me and…." She paused that boiling feeling again returning to her cool body.

She did not want to lie to Norman but to admit that, unconsciously she touched her lips, they were still warm, warm like a human girls.

Maybe if….

A gentle hand was placed on her shoulder "Is Master Roger well?" he asked softly she looked up surprised, how long had she stood there… What was happening to her?

Dorothy looked into his good eye "Yes, he woke me up and now I've come for you to run diagnostics on my system. My efficiency has dropped by 9.8745% and I may be overheating. You will have to open me up Norman and see what is happening to my body. But please do not tell Roger, I do not want him to see my inner self, it would disgust him."

She stated stiffly, feeling a new emotion that her program recognized as embarrassment fill her up. If she had, had blood her cheeks would be red, as any respectable ladies would be…

Her Father had defined her program with the capacity to adapt a semblance of emotions through learned observable behavior but maybe he had also created something else far more profound…

"Miss Dorothy, if you will go wait in the laboratory I will be there shortly. I need only to replace this circuit and I will have completed my duties."

She nodded as the gentle touch left her shoulder, feeling a little more at ease she made her way to the laboratory where she would sit and wait for Norman to finish his duties.

0000

When Dorothy pulled open the heavy steel door she found that the lights were already on and there like the bane of her existence was Roger Smith poking around on the shelves of Norman well ordered lab and storage area for parts of the Megadeuce.

He looked up inquiringly when she stepped in and closed the door behind her

"Why Dorothy you haven't gotten checked with Norman yet?" he asked his bravado returning.

"No I have not he still must finish work on Big 0."

She passed him and went to sit on the cold steel operating table the bright light shining down on the top of her fire orange hair. Roger continued to poke about tapping the glass of the many specimens and quietly picking up things he shouldn't.

If Dorothy had been any other girl she would have been irritated, but "Why are you here Roger Smith?" she asked

Roger looked up abruptly cutting off whatever he was going to do next "I've come to apologize to you about what happened upstairs."

"You mean the kiss?" she elucidated bluntly

To her surprise his cheeks colored slightly, Dorothy observed the sudden rapid rise of his body temperature and felt that similar boiling feeling filling her up again. How intoxicating it was and yet invigorating. For a brief span of moments Dorothy could not look at Roger Smith this new emotion was too much.

"Y-yes about the kiss, I don't know what overcame me…"

"So you regret it" she stated cutting off his sentence

Rogers mouth hug open for a moment "I didn't say that Dorothy!" he replied indignantly

"Didn't you? Roger Smith?" she retorted in her deadpan tone.

"It is very ungentlemanly of me, too take advantage of you in such a vulnerable state" he continued

"And I sincerely apologize" he spit out the last sentence with a hasty gust of breath, as if just hearing himself say it would somehow make it better. Through that Dorothy was trying hard to master her body the frantic firing of her wires was making her tingle and hum from within.

Where was Norman? That circuit could not take that long? For once she wished that his man was not around her, his presence was now disorienting her.

There was a long silence where she considered her answer, "You are forgiven Negotiator, I cannot feel anger either way, my father left that out of my programming. So there is no use preparing any kind of apology for me."

She forced herself to look Roger straight in those dark colored eyes and hoped her face did not betray the storm that was building in her since last night…

And then Roger looked down to her hands that clasped the table so hard she was bending the metal

"Dorothy?"

She looked down "Oh" releasing her grip she clasped her hands demurely in her lap

"I will help Norman fix it later"

Realization dawned on him "You're wearing the RING?!" he cried his usually flushed face going white with disbelief and rage.

Judging from the constriction in the blood vessels at his neck Dorothy concluded that he was very, very angry.

The humming only increased inside her body "Yes I am, it is too beautiful and rare to leave in that garish box." She stated the truth for Dorothy had somehow felt drawn to the ring.

Roger counted to ten as he watched Dorothy sit there as implacable and immovable as a stone, the two dents in the heavy steal table contrary to her usual stony expression. Maybe something was very wrong with her, and that is why she had insisted on having a checkup.

But still he was sweating; the Great Negotiator of Paradigm City was sweating in front of a piece of metal. Roger was quite out of his element, not that he was not suave in handling women…But this young woman, this android was suddenly driving him mad he shouldn't be this vexed over one stupid little engagement ring…

"Give it to me" he held out his hand to her, she did nothing

"Dorothy!" he barked she did not react she continued to stonily stare at him for a long time before she spoke

"Do you like me Roger Smith?"

Before he knew it he was retorting, "Don't be preposterous Dorothy nothing can ever be between us!"

Something strange flickered across her deep purple eyes and that made him pause, abruptly all the false anger left him and all that was remained was… That dreaded emotion he hoped that he would never feel, ever…

It was as irrational as Fear…

"I think you are lying Roger Smith you just blinked three times as you spoke, and you only do that when you are lying."

Roger gasped taking a step back and quickly regained his mental footing "I thought you cannot tell when people are lying Dorothy, you yourself cannot lie convincingly."

"You are correct my Father never properly programmed me with that… It is something unique only to humans and Megadeuce's."

Roger's head spun but the feeling inside him was no lie, this was a emotion as foreign and distant as the memories of 40 years ago. Memories of his family, and the feeling of love, indeed he had lusted after many women in his years as a Negotiator, but this wasn't that…

This was…

"Dorothy" he pleaded softly taking a few hesitant steps towards her. Her hands tightened in her lap and yet her expression did not change. She stared resolutely into his face as if daring him to come any closer, or willing him to do so.

He didn't know but…

Gently he placed his hands on her shoulders, hoping she could not feel his trembling body.

"Are you cold Roger?" she asked softly, her face carried none of the life he had seen in his room, but nonetheless she was still beautiful.

"N-no I am not Dorothy" he stammered, he watched her for a long moment

"Then are you frightened? I will not hurt you." She assured him quietly and then looked down shyly, this nearly made Roger balk. What was happening to her?

"Roger, I feel very strange lately" she began softly "my body, my circuits are constantly malfunctioning when… When I think of you."

Roger felt a hot flush rise to his cheeks, leave it Dorothy to speak so… bluntly. "Dorothy… T-that is only because there might be something wrong with you, you told me that Norman has only been doing the most basic of checkups on you since Big 0 is getting so damaged in all the fights I've had."

There was a long pause as she considered.

"Yes I do remember telling you that sometime ago… Is that what it is, Negotiator?"

"Surely it is" he replied feeling the color fading from his face, he hoped that she believed him because to think of it any other way…

Roger's face colored a deeper red yet again; Dorothy's eyes widened slightly feeling the heat of his hands through the thickness of her dress. She was fairly humming from the inside

Impulsively she reached up and touched his face, it was as warm. She marveled at his skin smooth from his recent shave… She always liked to watch him shave since it was quite interesting.

In the same perverse trance Dorothy was in, her fingertips traced the line of his jaw, feeling his face grow hot. She hesitated as she watched his onyx colored eyes glaze slightly and his lips moisten.

Dorothy had never seen this emotion before, and yet it exhilarated her. Her circuits were firing like whale song in her head.

Tentatively she glided her thumb over his lips and gasped softly at that strange look intensified in his eyes, his lids grew heavy.

"Roger?" she murmured her voice sounded strange to her ears, softly Roger grasped her hand and pressed his lips to her palm.

"Dorothy you must stop" he whispered his lips brushing against her palm, and he stepped closer to her, pressing her against the hardness of his body, it was then as those strange sensations had overrode nearly everything in her that the heavy door to the lab opened.

Roger Smith jumped away from her as if she was terribly radioactive and Dorothy came to full awareness.

Norman looked at them calmly "Master Roger, I would like if you could step outside while I check Miss Dorothy over."

Roger nodded and with a most austere bow was gone from the lab as quickly as Dorothy had ever seen. The heavy steel door slid shut leaving Norman standing still near the door, Dorothy was suddenly embarrassed. Did Norman know?

"Miss Dorothy I am sorry to keep you waiting. There was a slight circuit malfunction with Big 0." He began making his way over the lab to her, he donned a pair of surgical gloves and went over to her.

"Norman I do not want you to check my drives, I want you to check my inner body. You have never opened up my body before"

Norman's eye widened "I dare not, you have never given me permission Miss. Dorothy"

Dorothy nodded "I am sorry, none of my malfunctions has never come from my actual body only my drives."

"True. Now Miss Dorothy can you tell me where the switch is?" he asked softly going over to the metal cabinets and opened one of them. Onto the awaiting rolling tray he removed a few fine instruments. They flashed like her quicksilver stone in the bright overhead lights.

"It is above my heart" she replied calmly, the humming had died down. She now felt a little more like herself, but what was that emotion on Roger's face? It would forever be burned into her memory bank and the feeling that it elicited as well.

His lips were truly so soft…

"Dorothy? Would you like me to suspend you now?" Norman asked solicitously as he gently wheeled the tray over. She nodded, and Norman reached up placing his warm hand on the back of her neck where he pressed a minute switch and Dorothy abruptly slid into blackness.

0000


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Thank you for the reviews!

Chapter 3

0000

Roger sipped his scotch morosely in the dark bar that smelt of stale beer and cigarettes. Big Ear was not here, but the bartender Sam had assured him that he would be and soon. He had left the old bank building in a frenzy, he had to be gone from Dorothy's presence for a few hours and yet…

Roger Smith was not the kind of man who was impatient, that made for sloppy negotiation, but for once in his life he wanted more then ever then to dig any vestiges of information from his time honored informant.

Just then the tall and lanky form of Big Ear came into the dim lit bar, took the awaiting newspaper from Sam and went to go sit at the table next to Rogers'. Everything the same as always, except for the huge sum of money that Roger placed on the table. The older man made no indication at the sudden increase in payment and blandly asked

"So what has you all worked up today Negotiator?" deftly he placed the newspaper over the money and a moment later Roger watched him pocket it. At that Roger sat back trying to seem normal.

"I have a problem with one of my clients"

"A problem? I thought you stopped taking clients when all this messy business with RD was finished."

"I need more information on this client, what you gave me is unsatisfactory."

Big Ear turned to him all pretense that they did not know each other gone "Who is this Roger? I thought you settled everything with all your clients except that foreign woman and the android."

Roger sighed crossing his legs and taking a deep sip of his scotch, waving Sam for another.

"Daston I think has solved the former but I have not solved the latter. The android named Dorothy that Wayneright built… I was wondering is there any place in which the records about her construction would still be kept? I know Wayneright's house is quite empty of that information thanks to Rosewater."

There was a long silence "The only other place that I could think of would be Rosewater's Palatial Estate. You have been there before haven't you?"

Roger paused wondering how Big Ear seemed to know about everything including his personal exploits with the leader of this last city of men, Paradigm.

"Only twice but in two totally different places and as always with Alan as our solicitous host."

Big Ear snorted "If you give me time I will be able to get you the plans for that estate if you wish and more importantly the weakness in which you could exploit."

"How long?" Roger asked draining the last of his scotch before picking up the second

"Two or three days, I will leave you a note with that butler of yours" with that Roger stood threw a few dollars onto the table and left the bar. It would be best he returned to the old bank building before dinner would be cold.

0000

By the time Roger returned home, he found Norman anxiously waiting for him, sliding gracefully out of the Griffin he stood.

"What is wrong Norman?" he asked

"Master Roger there is something I wish for you to see in the lab" quickly he turned and made a direct beeline for the large steel door on the other side of the underground lair that housed not only the griffin but Big 0 and all other manner of supplies.

Straightening his tie he quickly followed Norman to the lab where he had left the door open. Stepping through, he saw that the butler had turned all the other lights off except for the large blazing one over the table. Lying there covered with a sheet up to her neck was Dorothy.

Hastily he approached the table and looked up to Norman in inquiry "What's wrong? Why is Dorothy like this?" Dorothy's entire series of checkups had been quick and he had usually been there. But…

"She asked me to open her up Sir to check to see what was wrong with her. And…. I found something very strange." Carefully Norman pulled back the sheet and Roger's eyes widened.

Dorothy's chest was open revealing the intricate wirings of one of the most sophisticated pieces of machinery ever made, mixed with tissue. Real living tissue yet it was not the vivid red and pink seen in the ancient medical illustrations… It was the palest pink and ivory, fragile and translucent like the finest pieces of glass. In the cavity where her heart should have been was a strange glowing sphere that pulsed slowly; around it was a golden band with strange lettering that pulsated in time with the light.

"Dorothy asked me not to show you but I had to… This is quite amazing because it is very similar to the strange orb that in the Megadeuce. The one that gives it all the power to move, the one that judges you and knows when you are in danger."

Roger felt all the blood drain out of his face looking at Dorothy's relaxed face her lips caught in a half smile her expression matched the peacefully pulsing light inside her. Quickly Norman turned to the tray and picked up the strange engagement ring in his gloved hand. Suddenly the light began to pulse faster, the glowing letters began to burn brighter.

"What is happening?" Roger gasped his throat dry, he saw beneath the cloth that Dorothy's fingers twitched slightly. Her lips moved ever so slightly, quickly Norman drew the ring away and put it back onto the tray. The light calmed

"I have checked the chemical composition of this ring, it is 95.8% carbon. The other 5.2% is a chemical that has no name… It is the same chemical that I found in the swabs from Miss. Dorothy's tissue. They are almost the same, the genetic makeup of this stone and Dorothy's living tissue."

Roger now knew more then ever he would have to find those plans. "So what is Dorothy really Norman?"

Norman carefully pressed a switch near the gaping inside of Dorothy's chest and Roger turned away as the inner workings of Dorothy's body closed up. Tenderly Norman spread the sheet back over her body to her neck before Roger turned back around.

The old butler seemed thoughtful as he dotingly brushed the fiery red hair out of Dorothy's eyes. "She is what could be termed a bio android… More like Alan who is more machine then ever. I know not how he became a bio android, if he was human before forty years ago… Or…" Norman trailed off his one eye narrowed in deep thought.

"Norman what do you think that sphere is?" Roger asked as a silence filled the lab

Norman cleared his throat abruptly hurled back to the present "I think it is what the church calls a 'Soul' the essence that does not die even when the body does."

Roger was surprised at the old butler, he had never pegged him for being religious. What kind of religion was there to be had in a place like Paradigm? Praying to a nameless god, which had no history. He thought that after what happened 40 years ago, the Megadeuce's were the only gods left.

He shook his head, Rosewater thought himself a god… Wasn't that some sort of sacred violation?

Boy, he really did need another drink. Running his hand through his hair he took a deep breath

"I think I am going to go upstairs for another drink" Roger turned and was gone.

00000

But these thoughts continued to nag him far into the night, he tossed and turned in his sleep dreaming of the time that he had been homeless in the Paradigm before 40 years ago. And seeing Dorothy as a human with that tall strapping man leading her into the Nightingale…

It was only in the wee hours of the morning that he begun to sleep, so at noon the appointed time of Dorothy's frenetic piano playing began he rose out of bed with steely volition, stomped down to the main living area and burst through the door unconsciously still holding his pillow.

"DOROTHY R WAYNERIGHT!" he barked, gazing at her still body and nimbly moving hands. Her amethyst eyes flicked to him briefly before returning to the sheet of music.

"It is past noon Roger… You have a guest waiting for you in the study"

"Who is it" impatiently he racked his fingers through his tousled hair making it stand up in odd angles. Dorothy looked at him blandly

"Angel" she replied softly, abruptly he jumped as if she had smacked him. It had been a very long time since he had seen her.

In his gut Roger knew that there was something different about her, something that was hidden away from everyone. Without another word he turned and went the way he came, there was no use meeting Angel the way he looked now... She she would have to wait... Roger smiled...

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One hour later Roger Smith stepped into his office, Angel was sitting at his desk sipping some of his cognac and smoking a cigarette from his drawer.

"It took you long enough Roger Smith" she quipped, throwing a manilla envelope on the desk between them. Roger smiled

"What's this Angel? I thought we were finished doing favors for one another"

Angel smiled inhaling the smoke from the cigarette the tip flared a bright red before fading.

She exhaled "This isn't a social call, I'm not doing you any favors. This is the information that you wanted from your trusted informant Big Ear."

Roger was barely able to hide his surprise "I don't know who you are talking about"

"Come now Roger you know what I am. The man and I travel in similar circles, when I heard the exorbitant amount of money you had paid him to obtain these blueprint maps... I couldn't resist, besides isn't it better I brought them to you personally?" she leaned on his desk and smiled prettily.

"Is the route difficult?" he parried

Angel sat back and finished off the cigarette, stubbing it elegantly into the ash tray "Of course, Alan Rosewater is a paranoid man there are enough traps there to make pin cushions of you and I."

Roger's brow rose "How did you suddenly become involved in this?"

"I have always been involved with your affairs. Where you go I go, you always become mixed up with memories and that is what I continue to search for even now."

Roger chuckled "You never change do you Angel?"

She took a sip of cognac and smiled "Of course not, I am just like you. Set in my ways." Roger poured a glass of cognac for himself before sitting on the edge of the ancient oak desk and studying her.

"Do you know why I want these plans?" he inquired carefully, she looked up at his handsome face

"You want to know the secrets of that android that plays housekeeper for you." She giggled at the look of shock on his face.

"All men are the same, even the Great Negotiator of Paradigm City. They always want to unravel a woman's secrets" she reached out and touched his face.

Roger felt the warmth of her hand, so unlike Dorothy's and yet the way she had touched him. It had... Unconsciously he felt heat rising to his cheeks.

"Roger... Do you love her?" she whispered her face suddenly close to his.

"Who?" he asked dazed, the smell of her perfume slightly disarming him. Elegant women were his specialty and somehow everything about the past two days had totally turned his perception of life upside down.

Angel let out a soft giggle "You know who I am talking about"

Roger suddenly focused on her beautiful face "As a professional it is my duty to carry out the wishes of my client, Dorothy's wish has not been fulfilled... I have not..."

She smiled bitterly "Why do you feel so obligated to a piece of machinery?"

Roger blinked slowly feeling the myriad of emotions rising in him, quickly he tamped them down and pulled away from her. The heat from her hand lingering on his cheek

"I don't know" he took a long sip of cognac. Angel sat back grinning secretively,

"You see Roger this is why I am so fond of you. You are the least bit predictable" Angel stood buttoning the blazer of her pink suit and smoothing back her pale blonde hair.

"I'll meet you at the abandoned transformer on Bleecker around twelve. I know it is against your policy but try and bring a bit of protection" she turned winked and was gone leaving Roger suddenly alone. The soft sound of sand trickling through the glass his only comfort.

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	4. Chapter 4

AN: Thank you for the reviews! due to my terrible cold this chapter is a little short

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The fog was dense as it came out from the vast sea and settled on the city of Paradigm , Roger huddled in his trench coat the dew collecting in his slicked back hair and on his shoulders. Balefully he glanced at his watch it was ten past twelve, she was late...

Just then there was a flicker of a shadow moving near the fence

"Roger" came a softly flirtatious voice, Roger slid out from his position near the Griffin and saw the dimly illuminated figure of Angel her form blurred by the fog that permeated everything. Quickly he crossed the street and was beside her

"You're late" he growled

She giggled "I am sorry. A lady has her routines she cannot break"

"A fine time to put them into play" he retorted, Angel laughed her voice ringing in the desolate area.

"True but then I so enjoy the way the vein in your neck ticks when you are angry" she replied.

Without another word she began to climb, Roger following behind abandoning the now frivolous trench-coat. They landed on the fine gravel and Roger felt the hair on his arms and neck stand.

"Angel are you positively sure this place is not live?" he asked referring to the electricity

"Yes it was abandoned some time after your negotiations with Electric City" she said as they jogged into the outer building. It was empty save for the rats and birds that had made homes in it. In the gloom Roger turned on his flashlight casting a feeble ray on the dirt laden floor. Angel was at the far end of the room near some abandoned machinery, knocking gently on the wall. A moment later she pushed against a spot and it depressed, there was a loud noise as a part of the cement floor gave way revealing a set of stairs that led into the darkness.

"Ha, there" she said with a grin.

Roger couldn't help but smile "Lets go then"

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Dorothy paused in her piano playing, she did not know what had made her stop. Quickly she turned her red hair fanning and to her shock Alan Gabriel sat at the couch one leg thrown over the other. Examining a figurine on the table with feigned interest

"Alan?" she whispered

He stood with a smile "Hello again my nightingale" slowly he removed his hat, the white blonde of his hair showing in the lights. Before he came to sit next to her

"How did you get in here? Where is Norman?" she asked stiffly

"Who? The old butler is fine, as for getting in here it was quite easy. The defenses are so weak."

Dorothy's hands tightened in her lap as the warmth of his body touched hers as he sat down beside her. His nimble fingers playing over the keys in a song that she had never heard before.

"Do you like it?" he asked in a faintly teasing manner

"I have never heard it before" she replied

Alan grinned "I believe no one has heard it for 40 years, but my Memories tell me that this was once famous."

His fingers began to play faster and faster building the beat, the tempo in her circuits.

"Did you like the ring my dear?"

Dorothy pressed her lips together and did not reply

"So it did cause the trouble I wanted it too.... Did Roger kiss you as I did, or was it hotter sweeter then anything you ever felt?"

She turned to him sharply "Stop"

Alan laughed "Why? Does what I say bother you?"

"You are crude Alan" Dorothy snapped.

"I am nothing like your precious Negotiator am I?" he retorted clearly enjoying her reaction.

"He is not anything to me. He is simply my employer, and my bodyguard..." she answered blandly her hands tightening in her lap. She could feel the touch of his lips once again against her fingertips, her mouth.

Alan was grinning widely his blood red mouth glistening in the lights "I did not know you were capable of deluding yourself"

Irritation ticked at her like a stripped wire "I do not know of what you speak. Delusion is not in my programming."

"Oh?" with a lightning movement he pulled her into his arms and kissed her not the soft delicate kiss of the previous time but....

Dorothy pushed him away with force, "What are you doing?" she cried, something like repulsion filled her. She had only recently learned what this was, having seen it so few times.

Alan giggled "You are doing well, even now there is warmth in your lips."

She stood stiffly and slammed the cover to the piano shut. "I suggest you leave now before I do something drastic" Dorothy said calmly, even though her circuits fired wildly. What kind of kiss was that? It was...

He stood fixing his narrow tie and slid from the piano chair, where he bowed mockingly

"As you wish" calmly he walked from the room and was gone.

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"Norman? Norman?" Dorothy called as she went up the stairs, knocking on his door she waited. When there was no reply she opened it, there lying on the bed was Norman unconscious, she went to him quickly and felt for a pulse. It beat steady and strong, with her keen eyes she noticed the small needle mark on his neck and concluded that Alan had used a sedative to render him harmless. But... Why had he gone through the trouble to bring him all the way up here?

What was Alan Gabriel up to?

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	5. Chapter 5

AN: Thank you for the reviews, I am feeling a lot better now!

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As bullets rained upon them, Roger ducked behind a wall and cried

"I thought you said this was an evacuation route for the palace!"

Angel grit her teeth and flew out from behind the corner, delivering two well aimed shots at the automatic machine gun. Abruptly all went quiet and she took a deep breath

"That is what the blueprints said, but that was information from a little after 40 years ago... Something important must be down here for Rosewater to shield it with something like this." she indicated the out of commission gun that sparked on the wall.

Quickly they jogged down the hall, guns drawn. Cautiously they turned the corner, beyond was a stretch of dark hallway and a metal ladder lit by a faded orange light.

"I don't like this, it was too easy" Roger whispered

Her eyes searched the corridor "Above the ladder is an entrance to an underground rotunda in what I believe was the Rosewater family crypt. If anything is there... That is where it should be."

Roger removed his cufflink and threw it hastily into the corridor, there was a loud rapport as the whole corridor was brilliantly lit by automatic gunfire and his platinum cufflink shattered into dust. He sucked in a breath and cursed

"I knew it"

Angel's dark eyes danced for a long moment "Before we do this, I want to ask you. Does Dorothy know anything about Alan Gabriel? Does she have Memories of him?"

Roger blinked "No, least she has never told me."

"I ask only because of Dorothy's lack of response when Alan nearly shot her body to pieces. I was there and yet there was nothing I could do. She did not protest, she did not stop him. I just wondered.... That's all" she turned from him

A cloud of doubt filled Roger then, she was right why hadn't Dorothy done anything to protect herself. He had never asked her, he was only relieved that Norman was able to fix her.

Angel focused on the ceiling in the corner, mentally averaging where she had seen the gun.

"Roger you saw where the other gun was didn't you?"

He nodded raising his gun "We must do it together, the sensors are very sophisticated. One, two, three!"

They fired nearly at the same time and as the gunfire burst into the hall, Roger pumped a few rounds into the machine when there was a explosion from his side. Quickly he finished off Angel's side as sparks flew nearly blinding them in their brightness.

The two of them paused to catch their breath "It should be safe now" Angel said abandoning her position and walking down the hall dodging the pieces of steaming metal and circuitry. Together they climbed the ladder up into the darkness.

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"My God" Roger breathed, looking around at the huge space they stood in. In looked like something from what little of the old paintings that had managed to survive. Huge pillars reached like arms into the darkness the low light of the rotunda hid the elaborate mural that was painted at the ceiling.

In the center of the room lay the sarcophagi of the Rosewater line long passed, their death images seemed too lifelike. Angel quickly went to the end of the room and flicked a huge switch. A massive chandelier the likes of which Roger had never seen suddenly flared to life, illuminating everything and revealing that all around the rotunda walls were enormous library shelves. A repository for all the information that Alan Rosewater had either stolen, acquired or collected.

"What is all this?" he asked going over to the shelves running his gloved hand over the spines their words long worn away with age.

"Memories" Angel replied coming up beside him and pulling a book down from the shelf. She opened it and coughed as a wheeze of dust escaped into the cool still air of the crypt. Roger turned and cast his eyes back to the center of the room where the most prominent of the crypts lay.

"I find this all too easy" he mumbled pulling another book from the shelf and opening it. Within was a language he had ever seen before the symbols were strange almost like pictures. Angel put a hand on his shoulder.

"Her plans would not be here." she said softly. Roger looked down at the words and closed the book.

"Then where?" he added trying to read the spines of the books as they circled the room. There at the very end of the room nearest to a set of marble stairs was a decrepit bookshelf. Files and folders had been hastily pushed in between the books. The books seemed newer, the spines legible.

His eyes widened as gold lettering caught his eyes "The family history of Wayneright" and again with "Observations on Dorothy."

Angel had removed some of the files "These are some of them" she pushed them into his hands. As Roger took down the two books from the shelves.

Angel swiftly passed him and returned a moment later the bag she had been carrying filled to the brim with books.

"I am ready are you?" she whispered her voice echoing into the vast space.

Roger quickly pulled a few more tomes down, in surprise a smaller book fell from one it landed on the floor with a soft plop. Angel bent down and retrieved it, for a moment her eyes fled over the words. Then she giggled, pushing the book into his chest

"This might be the best of them all" Roger slid that one into his breast pocket. And placed the others in the pack he had strapped on his back. There were no more packets of files pushed hastily into the shelf they were now safely in his possession.

Even though they were so close to victory his heart pounded wildly in his ears, he was excited yet but this mission had gone too smoothly. It was as if someone _wanted_ him to have this information.

But for what purpose?

Roger then realized that maybe Alan Rosewater's scheme now involved more then just him and Big O, but Dorothy as well.

"Angel"

She turned lifting the piece of granite floor that hid the escape route "What?"

"Do you know anything about Rosewater's plans?" with a heave he helped her push the slab back.

"No, the Union is trying to undermine them. But they do not even know what they are trying to destroy anymore." her hand tightened into a fist.

"Someone is going to have to stop him, and it is going to have to be you" she said fiercly "that is the only thing that I am certain of anymore."

Roger became still the certainty in her voice was almost prophectic, a shiver came unbidden to him, as illogical as Fear.

"I am beginning to understand that" he replied soberly and slid into the darkness of the hole.

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The drive back to the old bank building was tense, Roger gripped the steering wheel so hard that his hands were beginning to cramp. Taking a deep breath, he tired to relax yet when he stopped at one of those ancient stoplights he felt his hand sliding into his breast pocket and removing the small leather book and flipping open to the first page.

_Diary of Dorothy Rose Wayneright_

_Began August 14th, 1947_

Roger gasped as a car behind him honked loudly. This was the real Dorothy's diary....

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	6. Chapter 6

AN: Thank you for the reviews!

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Dorothy felt, if one could say that was what it was, a sense of disturbance, disquiet. Norman had roused from his state of unconsciousness and now was fastidiously beginning dinner. No matter how Dorothy pestered him to cease the older man was adamant, finally he had regulated her to the other end of the kitchen where she was quickly and efficiently pealing potatoes. Norman wanted to make potato salad for the rest of the week, because he would be away taking care of his sister Bertha and hence there was no one to cook.

Suddenly the video screen flared to life as Norman quietly paged his Master, Roger's tense if handsome face appeared on the screen.

"What is it Norman?" Roger asked tiredly hiding the small book from the view of the two other people in the kitchen.

"Dinner will soon be ready Sir" Norman replied and began to tell Roger about what had transpired in his absence. By the end of Norman's blase and unaffected speech Roger was livid looking for Dorothy in the semi darkness of the back of the kitchen. She felt her circuits beginning to hum thinking about what Alan had told her in the quiet of the living room.

"DOROTHY!" Roger cried, Dorothy walked into the light of the kitchen and replied

"Yes, Roger"

"How dare you let him in my home!" he cried

"I did not let him in, he let himself in" she said logically

"And you did nothing?!" he exclaimed exasperated,

Dorothy looked at that him evenly "There was nothing to do, he did nothing wrong other then breaking and entering."

"You are lying again Dorothy, I can see in your eyes"

Shock registered vaguely somewhere in her circuitry "I am not, besides isn't it unsafe to be talking and driving at the same time?" she added cooly

Roger gritted his teeth together "I will see you soon!" and the screen went blank. Norman went back to cooking the string beans in the hot water and for moments Dorothy watched fascinated. Many things that humans did still interested her greatly even though she had been staying with these two men for sometime now.

Norman quickly withdrew them from the water with a pair of thongs and placed them in a bowl of ice water. Dorothy marveled at it, it was then that Roger took his cue to come bursting into the kitchen and grabbed her by her dour collar.

"What were you thinking?!" he cried shaking Dorothy lightly, the vein at his neck ticked wildly and Dorothy knew that he was angry, angrier then she had ever seen him before, ever. Sweat beaded his brow, the fog had dampened his hair it glistened in the lone lightbulb of the kitchen.

"Unhand me" she answered cooly, roughly Roger released her and paced the kitchen tripping over the wastebasket full of potato peels. Norman sighed and removed the brisket from the oven setting it on top of the old stove. Quietly he excused himself to go return to his room, he still felt the aftereffects of Alan's injection.

Dorothy watched him pace and said nothing

After a few moments Roger stopped his face illuminated brightly by the bulb suspended from the lone cord.

"He could have hurt you. But then I suppose you would have done nothing to stop him." he spat angrily

"He would not hurt me, Alan could never repeat what happened again."

"You speak of him so fondly" his voice mocked

Dorothy felt the circuits suddenly blaze in her head, she did not like this. She wanted to touch Roger's shoulder, feel the fine silk of his suit under her fingers. Anything to cease him from this conversation.

"I am not fond of him" she said firmly looking in his eyes then they blazed with a fire. For a brief moment her programming flashed the word jealous. Again she did understand the concept but had never seen it in practice, she saw so few people other then Norman and Roger when the day came.

"Are you jealous Roger Smith?" she asked then infinitely curious despite the situation. Roger balked, surprise registered in a the dark pools of his eyes. Mentally once again he was thrown off balance.

"Why would I be jealous of a creature like Alan Gabriel?" Roger retorted trying to regain his scattered thoughts. Once again she had thrown him off course with her unconventional question and damned curiosity.

"Because he has claimed two kisses from me and you merely one. And that one did not count for I was suspended." There. She said it, and her circuits rejoiced like whale song in her head. Her body seemed to tremble at the boldness of her words. Such language went against her father's teachings, his programing. But she wanted to defy it to see what it would do to Roger Smith.

All the color from Roger's face seemed to drain and then it returned in a hot blaze that colored his cheeks a handsome rosy red. Again Dorothy was amazed, another behavior she had never seen before. Roger was silent, she could almost hear him mentally counting from ten. Finally he took a shaky breath, and a slow lazy smile began to stretch over his mouth.

Dorothy had never seen this before, her programming could not even identify it now she grew confused, alarmed as he walked towards her. Unconsciously she backed up till she hit the wall of the kitchen. Roger's face was in shadow now as he pressed his body up against hers.

"Dorothy, you have insulted my manhood. That is going to far" he whispered, his voice was husky, it rumbled from deep in his chest. She could feel it, so close she was to his body.

"I did not realize it. My apologies" she replied why were her programming failing her? She had no references to pull from for a situation such as this...

"An apology is not enough" he said close to her ear. Dorothy jumped

She closed her eyes, nothing had prepared her for a situation such as this, then she remembered the day in the Lab. And those strange eyes of Roger's, she wanted... She wanted to see them again, they were like a flute of a snake charmer and she longed to fall under their spell again.

"What more can I do?" she asked trying to think logically, to push those thoughts from her well ordered mind that was now drawing a near complete blank.

"You can sing for me at the Nightingale" Dorothy looked up with surprise, as a hand came to caress her face. Roger's warm fingertips whispered down her cheek and to her lips. Where his thumb brushed them, just as she did to him.

"Your lips are warm Dorothy"

"I-I" she fumbled "please release me Roger Smith" her voice was cold then. He stepped away back into the light. Dorothy saw that his face was a cool mask with the barest hint of a smile on the corner of his mouth.

"I will sing at the Nightingale if Instro can accompany me in the piece" she said then regaining her thoughts.

"As you wish" he bowed and sedately left the room, his laughter echoing through the house.

Chapter 7: 

That evening dressed for bed Roger finally opened the old diary and flipped to the first page that caught his eye. For some strange reason Dorothy had named her diary Lottie, lord knows why.

_September 10, 1947_

_Dear Lottie, _

_I know it has been a little over a week since I have come here with my father... But how large this city is! I would never have known about it trapped so far away in Westchester. Father has bought a sumptuous apartment in a newly renovated building. We share the floor with one other neighbor, who I am told by the landlord has two sons. I have not yet met them, Father tells me that they are away in some awful boarding school till the end of spring. _

_Now, Lottie I know you dislike me blabbering on but I must tell you of something that happened to me yesterday on the subway. Whatever possessed my father to give me a handful of tokens and push me out into the corridor is beyond me.... But I admit I did enjoy myself, after buying a map I found that the city was easy to move around via the brightly lit subway trains. As I got off at Bleecker Street in one of the older parts of the city I encountered a row of homeless men. One struck me still, he was a young man no more then thirty sitting in the ruins of once must have been a very fine black suit. A pathetic soup can lay near his folded legs, with only a pitiful amount of change within. I stopped in front of him dressed in my new mint green frock with white trim and stared down at his form. _

_The next thing I knew I was pulling out all the money I had from my purse. Which I now realize must have been close to three hundred dollars and bending to put it in his can. At that the man became still and I turned suddenly embarrassed my mind filling with ideas for an excuse where all my spending money had gone. But a strong grip grabbed my wrist. In fear I turned around and saw the poor man's face, beneath the stubble and filth he looked to be handsome. A current of electricity seemed to pass between the man and I for we stared at one another for a long time. His eyes were beautiful they were covered by a long thick screen of black lashes, blacker then the onyx of his eyes. It was then he spoke _

"_Thank you" _

_Abruptly he released me, and I hurried away embarrassed, frightened and slightly disturbed. The hair on my neck was standing straight up.... That hasn't happened since my mama died..._

_Even now as I write this, I am still quite ashamed of myself. I do not know what drew me to him, but I hope he did not use the money for ill. But Lottie, I am afraid I must stop writing, my words are going in an awful direction. Good night. _

By the time Roger had finished the entry he was sweating, Dorothy... Dorothy had... he wiped his face with his hand. Was it was through her generosity that he had gotten back on his feet, found the old bank building and his new role as the Negotiator before the episode of 40 years ago? He moaned faintly, getting up he slipped the book into his pocket and abandoned his room. Quickly he went to his study and poured himself a generous amount of cognac before sitting in his chair with a grateful sigh.

Paradigm was quiet, he closed his eyes. This was Dorothy at sixteen? She seemed so mature almost old fashioned just like she was now. Was this Dorothy close to the human one? A headache began to build in his temples, he groaned.... Then there was that other prickly question that had been nettling him all day, why hadn't Dorothy tried to save herself that day with Alan? His gut told him that he would find the answer in the diary. Alan had to be connected to her past...

"Roger?" a soft startled voice sounded through his thoughts. He opened his eyes and there standing at the door dressed in a floor length nightgown and robe was Dorothy. The black was a sharp contrast to her alabaster skin and fine red hair. Roger closed his eyes and chuckled, he needed to finish this drink and go to bed.

"What are you doing up?" he asked

"My attempts at suspension were unsuccessful" she replied blandly hovering near the door.

"Again I find myself preparing an apology for you Dorothy" he said thoughtfully as if she had not spoken. His eyes staring deeply at the faceted glass and the deep mahogany color of the cognac as it sparkled within.

"As I said before there is no need to do such a thing"

Roger flicked at bit of tousled hair from his eyes "But I must. It is my duty as a gentleman"

Dorothy shook her head "You were not harsh, if that is what you are feeling badly about" she said bluntly. "I am not an android who quavers at the powers of humanity"

Roger grinned bitterly, "No you are beholden to no one are you Miss. Wayneright?"

Dorothy's grip tightened on the doorframe "No I am not. I want to ask you something"

He looked inquiringly at her, "What is it Dorothy?"

"I want to know why you want me to sing at the Nightingale" she demanded.

He shrugged elegant even in a robe with slippers "I enjoyed the last time, it was so very long ago."

"It was a mere five months and three days ago" she intoned.

Roger looked at her thoughtfully, he studied her expressionless face and detected something there. Dorothy did not know what brought such a vaguely sinister smile to his lips

"I am paying you a high compliment Dorothy. Are you not flattered? Or did your Father not program it into your memory?" Roger said then baiting her

Dorothy pressed her lips together "I find it strange, your actions of late are very illogical. I cannot read them, it is very confusing." She said honestly, curtly.

Roger chuckled "I should say the same for you"

At this she had the shame to pause "Thank you Roger. I shall call Instro in the morning"

"It is already done, he will meet you after lunch at Amadeus"

Dorothy turned from the door and was gone... Roger yawned widely the cognac had done the trick. Least for one night, he would sleep well.

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But there was no frenetic piano playing the next afternoon, Roger rose well after noon and after his usual routine went in search of Norman. He found him working on Big O, the shipment of missiles had finally arrived and the crew was all here. When Roger entered the large space it reminded him of a beehive all business and deft, efficient work.

"Norman!" Roger held the files aloft. Norman lifted his mask from soldering and handing the torch to another man named Sal he climbed down.

"Are these Miss. Dorothy's files, Master Roger?" he asked taking them from Roger with an eagerness that he had never seen before.

"Yes, I did not get a chance to peruse them" Roger said hastily, sliding his hands into his pocket where the small diary rested. No matter how badly he wanted to dream about Dorothy that day in the subway, he had no dreams when he finally drifted into deep slumber.

Norman looked at his Master with surprise "I thought at least you would have looked at them Master Roger"

"I find that the mission I went on a little to easy. How do we know that they are her real files?" Roger heard himself saying. In truth he had read the diary far into the morning, even with his blood running with cognac, those beautifully written words were like a siren song to him. They refused to let him go and sleep...

"No one could fabricate files like this" Norman said his eye wide as he opened the first page. He turned from Roger engrossed and went the way of the Lab.

"Norman!" Sal cried from the scaffold

But Norman did not seem to hear as he shut the huge metal door behind him.

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	7. Chapter 7

AN: Thank you for the reviews! My job has become very hectic and I am half dead writing this, so this chapter is once again short. My apologies!

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Hand Of Time Chapter Seven:

Sometime later Roger sat at the small coffee shop off Prince Street and sipped a cup of very strong black coffee his head once again buried in Dorothy's diary. It was his obsession now, even as he waited for Angel to arrive he could not stop.

_Dear Lottie, _

_I wanted to tell you that today I met the two young men that live in the apartment across from my father and I. They are foreigners, from someplace in Germany from a very old family. The older brother is a tall strapping young man of twenty named Andrew, his eyes are the palest blue with hair nearly as white and silvery as my jewelry. His younger brother who is eighteen is the exact opposite of Andrew, he carries his brother's height but not the bulk. Actually he may be thinner then even me! _

_His name is Alan and I discovered that the only thing that is good about him is his charming smile. He is flippant and full of frivolity, so different then the people I am used to... Andrew tells me that his brother grows on you among closer acquaintance. I hope so, I have a feeling my father is going to mash the three of us together as much as possible.... _

_Oh! I have even better news! Father has found me a singing coach, much, much better then the one that was training me in Westchester. His name is Ingres, yes like the famous french painter, he is a brilliant young man with a voice as beautiful as an angels. Also he will be teaching me the piano, I am nervous since my mama was so good at it, I wonder if I can measure up to her in my father's memory. My father is so melancholy lately that I fear if I began practicing it will throw him into a deeper fit of depression. _

_Now all these months later I took the train again to Bleecker Street and did not see the young man that I had foolishly given my money too.... Maybe he did something good with the money, or.... I don't want to think about it.... I still cannot explain what happened that day, I... Don't want to write anymore. Goodnight. _

"Roger?" a soft voice made him look up Angel stood there dressed in a very prim suit of pastel pink. Her white blonde hair pulled into an elaborate bun on her head.

A smile spread over her mouth "I know what that is" she sat down as the waiter came up to take her order.

He closed the book with a snap and slid it into his breast pocket "What is it then? I will tell you it is not War and Peace."

She laughed "Most defiantly not, that is not your type of reading material... This kind of reading material is almost forbidden..." her brows rose suggestively and Roger glared at her.

"It is Dorothy's diary" he retorted taking a sip of his coffee "not some dirty novella."

Angel smiled widely "Ah, Roger you never cease to amuse me" her tea arrived and she delicately sipped it.

"So why did you call me here?" he looked around with one brow high.

"This is as close to a dive as you can get without it being a bar" he added smartly.

Angel laughed "I came to help you with your little problem"

"Problem?" Roger inquired his fingers itching to open the diary once again.

"The problem of what to buy that android for her night of splendor at the Nightingale"

Roger choked on his coffee and quickly wiped his mouth "What preposterous things are you talking about?"

Coyly Angel leaned her elbow on the table and rested her hand on her cheek "You are such a louse Roger Smith. What is Dorothy's going to wear to the most popular nightclub in the Domes? A black housekeepers dress? I'd rather you parade her in a rags"

"Why are you suddenly so concerned about her welfare? I thought you hated Dorothy from the instant you met her."

Angel waved him off with a dismissive gesture "Hate is such a strong word Roger. I merely dislike her, I am a human after all and abhor sharing the most handsome man in my acquaintance with any other female whether flesh or metal."

Roger grinned charmingly "Angel could you be flirting?" he teased

She sat back and took another sip of her tea "Maybe, but it reflects badly on you if she is not dressed and done up properly to at least pass as a very pale young woman."

"And I suppose you are only doing this in the pursuit of Memories" he answered dryly a sardonic smile playing over his lips.

"Oh yes, that is the driving force for my existence," she smiled wryly "but I admit a little of this is purely self indulgence seeing you in a high end department store picking out dresses will be priceless."

She giggled wickedly and drained her cup before asking for another, Roger too refilled his bitter coffee choosing not to reply to Angel's quip.

As he sipped the hot liquid his thoughts wandered to the mint green dress that he had first seen Dorothy in, it was remarkably similar to the one in the diary. Maybe.. Dorothy was becoming human... Her lips had been warm, not warm in the sense of touching another human. But there was a vague almost fleeting heat that had seeped through his thumb.

Norman still had not told him how that strange ring was connected to all this, nor had be asked Dorothy the question that filled up his mind like a poison.

"Roger?" Angel was looking at him with a strange look on her face.

He looked up inquiringly "What?"

"You look disturbed"

"I still haven't asked Dorothy about what happened when Alan tried to kill her" he replied quietly, longing for scotch or cognac instead of this dishwater that called itself coffee.

Angel looked at him shrewdly "You are hoping to discover it in the diary?" she countered

"Yes"

Angel sighed "It seems that is best" quickly she threw some bills on the table.

"We should get going Smith's is going to get busy" there was an excited glint in her dark eyes.

"Smith's? I do hate that place. The salespeople have no class" he handed Angel the money she had thrown on the table.

"A gentleman always pays" Roger said with a charming smile.

Angel grinned "Of course, one of Roger's Rules"

Roger laughed suddenly feeling a bit lighthearted "Who knows if you behave Angel, you may get a reward."

Angel's pale brow rose as they stood "What are you implying Roger?" she asked sweetly

"Nothing, nothing at all"

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	8. Chapter 8

AN: Thanks for the reviews!

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"What about this?" Angel said, as the tall and thin model came from behind the velvet curtain in the opulent deco showroom in a pale pink dress studded with rhinestones at the hem.

Roger shook his head becoming increasingly more uncomfortable as they sat at the antique loveseat upholstered in red velvet. He sipping a glass of expensive champagne called Pierre Jouet.

"No, its.... To..."

"Innocent?" Angel chimed with a wicked smile, Roger felt his face growing warm though no blush stained his cheeks.

He put his glass on the small table and gestured for the head saleswoman to come over from her appointed corner.

"Excuse me Miss. Warple. Do you have anything a little more.... Provocative?" he asked with a dark brow arched slightly.

Kim Warple felt a blush staining her cheeks "Of course, but didn't you say that the lady was very young?"

Angel shot Roger a look and he sat back "I did, but this is her singing debut. It has been a long time coming, I wish that you had something long and elegant...." Roger paused "with a slight train. Nothing too form fitting, but still flattering. Maybe in a red or black." Roger's lids grew heavy. At once Kim was stunned,

Quickly she slid behind the curtain and the models who were posing retreated leaving the room empty once again

"Roger Smith!" Angel cried with a loud laugh "you are truly the most insidious louse" Roger picked up his drink again and took a sip. It seemed sweeter suddenly, his mood had improved.

"Why? If we picked any of the dresses that have come out in the last fifteen minutes and I brought it to Dorothy... She might have thrown a fit." He didn't know how a fit from Dorothy would look since she was after all an android.... This strangely amused him, a odd feeling washed over him. Suddenly Roger felt very wicked.

"Roger..." Angel warned

He turned his onyx eyes to her "Yes? Have I done something to displease you again Angel?" her eyes searched his own and then she sat back.

"No, but.... I think you should stop reading the diary. You are.... staring to view that android as a woman, I think even you are beginning to desire her."

That elicited a hot blaze on his cheeks but his smile remained "I assure you Angel, if you continue to behave like a jealous girlfriend you will not get that reward I promised you"

She turned to him with wide eyes and was about to retort something when a new line of models came from behind the curtain.

Roger's breath caught there in the back was a long crimson dress of silk, it was covered with small red and white stones that formed the pattern of an abstract flower down the bodice and out onto the skirt fluffed lightly by petticoats. Long translucent red sleeves flowed around the models thin arms also studded with small winking stones. The bodice was a little low cut and tight, almost as if the outfit required a corset.

Around the model's shoulders was a luxurious thick wrap of white mink to match the small tiara in her hair.

"That one" he pointed to the girl in red as she came to stand in front of them.

Kim Warple coughed "This one sir?"

"Yes, I want everything and some jewelry to match, plus makeup. My friend is used to going au naturale most of the time." he smiled winningly at Kim, onyx eyes sparkling. Angel was stunned it had been a long time that this side of Roger's personality had showed itself. The side that she had fallen in... Angel pushed those thoughts away.

"Pick something out for yourself Angel. I suspect you are going to attend the end of the evening soiree" Roger said as an afterthought and then he stood shaking Miss. Warple's hand warmly.

"I will need it very soon, please have it sent to this address as soon as possible" he handed Kim his card and then left. The smell of his expensive cologne lingering long after he had gone.

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Roger got out of the Griffin to find Norman wanting for him the folders tucked under his arm.

"Evening Norman"

Norman bowed "Evening Sir, I came to tell you that dinner is almost ready. And that it is tonight I must be leaving to attended to my sister Bertha. She is in the Domes ailing."

"Understood Norman, but what of Dorothy? Can she keep up with all your chores?"

Norman nodded "Of course I will be gone for only a week. I will return the morning that Miss Dorothy is too sing at the Nightingale" he paused as if weighing his words

"Now I must tell you something about what I found in these papers sir." he said respectfully taking Roger into the lab where he had set up a table and spread many papers across them. A chalk board hovered nearby covered with all sorts of equations and symbols.

"It seems that Miss. Dorothy is unique among all other androids. Even though she drinks high quality oil to sustain her, she does have the ability to digest food it is processed the same way the oil is leaving no waste." A gleam was in Norman's eyes as he picked up a set of papers and showed them to Roger. Quickly Roger scanned them

"Not only that it seems that she can become inebriated as well"

Roger's mouth dropped open "Preposterous! And what of the ring?"

Norman seemed to balk at the question "Sir, I do not how to say this properly but the ring is...created to to unlock the hidden recess of Dorothy's programing, to wake up the 'soul' that resides in the orb. And too.... Make her more like a woman..."

Roger barely missed the chair as he sat heavily into it and put his head in his hands. Norman gently came over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Sir, there is yet another piece of information I have discovered" he said gently as Roger raked fingers hand through his hair.

Roger looked up his handsome face ridden with anguish "What?"

"It may be that Wayneright has something hidden for Dorothy at the mansion"

"I have already gone there, there is nothing"

Norman shook his head "It is very well hidden and protected. It is what Wayneright calls 'his most precious gift' to his daughter."

Roger's eyes narrowed his emotions were spinning about him in a great whirlwind. He was grateful that Dorothy had not returned from her lessons with Instro. He felt sick, and too think not but a half hour ago he was picking a dress out for her as if... As if... she was his....lover or mistress. Forbidden and yet... He moaned, suddenly he looked up and through the door his eyes traveled up to the face of Big O, brightly illuminated in the lights. A peace washed over him, a calm that cleared his mind.

"So Dorothy... is a real girl after all, trapped in a body of an android?" he asked softly

"Yes sir it seems so. I have not yet discovered how... but yes" Norman said cooly squeezing Roger's shoulder. Roger stood

"Thank you my old friend" Roger turned to Norman with a wan smile

"Do you still happen to have that ring?" Roger asked when he got to the door.

"Here sir" Norman said handing Roger a small box, Roger took it.

"Well let's see whats going to happen" he murmured putting the box in his pocket and taking the elevator to the penthouse.

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	9. Chapter 9

AN: Thank you for the reviews! You guys are awesome!

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Dorothy arrived home from Amadeus with something light and effervescent filling her circuits. She had throughly enjoyed the weeks practice, not only the singing but the piano playing of Instro. It was also good that she did not see Roger so often. The situation between them was precarious at most, and still she did not understand what was happening to her, within her.

One inside she looked around, the old bank building seemed strangely empty. Then she recalled the stored away date of Norman's departure. She looked at the clock on the wall, he was already gone.

Dorothy was almost sorry that he was gone because now she was alone with... She could not continue the sentence in her mind it was... overwhelming.

The grill to the elevator slid open and out stepped Roger Smith brandishing a small gray box like a weapon ready to do battle. He froze just outside the elevator eyes going wide with surprise. He looked.... what was it, she searched her programing... guilty? She shook her head, no it was not the guilt programmed into her by her father it was something like.... He had been caught doing something he oughtn't too...

"Roger Smith... How was your day?" she asked in her usual bland fashion coming over to him. Roger seemed painfully uncomfortable, that was something that she was used to seeing and identified it easily.

"F-fine Dorothy, I must go" he pushed past her and was gone up the stairs. Dorothy turned watching his graceful figure beat a hasty departure. How strange his actions became with each passing day.... Any human girl Dorothy suspected would be irritated, even angry with him by now. But she was not a human girl, she only found his actions confusing and yet infinitely amusing, interesting. Humans were such unfathomable and vast things trapped in their bodies of meat.

She turned and went into the kitchen, where as she had expected was a long list of her daily chores for the next week. Her lessons with Instro would be pushed to the afternoon or evening, she realized with something that ticked at her like a frayed wire. It seemed Norman had left her with the most time consuming of the chores. The polishing of the silver alone would take half of the day, while the replacement of all the lightbulbs in the house was another days work. Gently she placed the list down and took the back stairs to the upper level. There she went to Roger's door and knocked softly,

"Yes Dorothy?" came a inquiring voice from behind the polished oak

"Roger I must speak to you about something" she said, there was the shuffle of footsteps and the door opened revealing Roger's elegantly masculine room and the man himself dressed for bed tousled hair falling into his eyes.

"What is it Dorothy?" he asked softly

"I want to know if I will continue to have rehearsals while Norman is away. It seems that he has given me only the most difficult of chores to accomplish"

Roger's eyes widened "Truly?"

She nodded "Yes, it does seem counterproductive to my success does it not?"

He nodded "I am surprised that Norman would do something so out of character" he flicked a piece of hair from his eyes.

Dorothy suddenly wondered if this... "Dorothy, I have a personal question to ask you."

She looked up at him again "Yes?"

"Why did you not protect yourself when Alain tried to kill you in the old station?"

Dorothy's eyes widened and something strange flashed over them "I do not know"

Roger's dark brow rose "That is not an answer Dorothy"

She looked at him with a implacable expression on her face "I know, but I am telling you the truth. I do not know why it happened. Only that I was unable to do anything."

"You were not frightened?"

Dorothy's eyes narrowed "Why should I fear? Alan had a gun and nothing more. It would take a great deal of bullets to put me out of commission."

Roger sighed and then he laughed quite contrarily "And to think I was expecting the worse..."

"What?"

His onyx eyes settled on her face, their intensity making her suddenly wary. She was strongly reminded of the episode in the kitchen. Roger had acted most strangely....

"You are hiding something from me" she said simply grabbing the doorway for support suddenly she felt ill.... Not not ill, she was not human and did not have a stomach to upset, but there was something overwhelming it was making her hum from the inside, like a live tuning fork.

"R-roger" she felt the strength leaving her and that is when she saw it. Hanging from a silver chain on his neck was something that flashed quicksilver.

He reached out and touched her face with his large hand, and Dorothy closed her eyes. She tired to move but it was of no use "Its the ring isn't it?" he whispered quietly. She nodded

"Take it away" it was not a request it was a demand.

"What if..." he pulled the chain from his neck and took the ring from it, the heavy silver dropping to the carpeted rug between them with a soft thunk. Then he lifted her small hand and slipped it onto her ring finger.

Dorothy looked up as a hum passed through her whole body "What are you doing Roger Smith?"

"I am thinking it will look lovely with your outfit" he smiled at her. It was a strange smile, his obsidian eyes filled with many unnamed emotions.

"O-outfit?" Dorothy parroted, once again she was flustered it was an reaction that was happening more often and it was beginning to annoy her. She tamped it down, she had to master this.... Turning into a sniveling puddle of goo in front of this man would not be good, it would be... shameful to her honor and the honor of her Father.

"It is red, redder then your hair" his fingers brushed the tips of her severe bob.

Her data bank suddenly recalled the night in which she had first sang in the Nightingale, how happy and proud she had been to finally get a chance to sing...Her dress, it had been so beautiful she had it still locked in her room in a box. When she had come to live and work here the Negotiator had told her a important rule, all people living here must wear black...

"Why did you buy me a dress?" she asked then genuinely interested "doesn't the color go against your rule?"

Roger chuckled softly "It does but... Black is not suited for someone like you, especially in a situation like this.. Your debut..."

Dorothy nodded that was the first logical thing that Roger had said in days "You are correct black is only used for the most formal of occasions such as funerals and severest business meetings."

A ironic smile flitted over his lips "True, I have also hired a young woman to come here and assist you with hair and makeup."

"Makeup?" something leapt in her, it was a hiccup from one of her servers. She pushed it away

"I do not need makeup" the hum was reaching a roar in her head.

Roger agreed "I know that, but the lights will be very strong. We must do something about these pale lips." He brushed his fingertips over her mouth. Dorothy stepped back fighting her odd desire to whimper it was caught in her throat like a lump of unrefined oil, tickling...

With effort she removed the ring "I cannot wear this... Not after what Norman told me what it stands for."

He took the ring back from her and picked up the chain "Of course" he strung it back onto the fine links and hooked it onto his neck. "I shall enjoy it in good health. You shall have your all day rehearsals until Norman returns. I can hire another housekeeper till then. Goodnight..." and with that he calmly shut the door leaving her alone once again.

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	10. Chapter 10

AN: Thank you for the reviews, I think I will be ending this in another few chapters. You guys are awesome!

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Roger spent the rest of the week reading Dorothy's diary, it seemed every moment of his free time was eaten by this damn little leather book. He fastidiously avoided Dorothy while they were together in the house, the foremost reason being that he kept the ring around his neck. It was his protection, his barrier against her....

He chuckled silently to himself, to think the Negotiator of Paradigm City afraid of a little girl, he wiped his face with his free hand and turned the page. Out fell another pressed rose, that now was as thin and fragile as a piece of ancient silk.

_June 16th 1948_

_Dear Lottie, _

_I haven't been able to write today because today... it happened. Today I was finally able to sing at the Nightingale! Oh how glorious it was, many of Father's important friends were there today and even though a few times all the words left my head... I am most proud to say that I did not stumble or pause in my lines. I sang clear and strong my voice filling every nook and cranny of the beautiful club. _

_However as I sit here relishing my abundant joy, I must tell you of something, well of someone I saw there. This was about the time I thought I would fail in the transition from a very high register to a very low. Ingres had been scolding me on this passage for weeks and I was hoping that I would get it right. In the moment I began the transition my eyes fell upon a darkened table in the back of the spacious room... _

_Lottie, it was HIM. The man that I had seen in the subway nearly ten months ago, he was dressed in the most elegant silk suit of deep charcoal. His handsome face illuminated only by the feeble candlelight and the flare of the wildly red tip of his cigarette. A woman sat with him dressed in white frock, a mink stole around her long neck. Her back to was facing me so I was unable to see her face... It was strange, I felt almost a sense of envy for the woman that was sitting there drinking her martini and smoking just as he was... _

_Just when I thought that all the air would leave my lungs... my voice dropped beautifully to the proper register and he smiled. It was only a hint of a smile that curled his full lower lip. But it sent a fierce, absurd joy through me then. It was as if my whole body had been starved waiting for that smile, that acknowledgment of my skill... _

_I felt my voice swelling in my throat filling with that heady rush of emotion. Before I knew it people were standing, applauding and I was red faced, laughing as the piano music faded away. The lights of the stage dimmed to the wild cheers and bravo's of my audience, my eyes never left his and I knew that... That I would never see him again..._

_A moment Lottie, my father calls... _

Roger took a deep breath and sipped his vodka, Daston had given him a bottle for Heaven's Day and well it had been sitting forlorn for so long...

_When the lights had come up I searched for him, through my cheers for an encore and a rain of flowers onto the stage. But he was gone, that strange man whom I had helped in the subway... I am glad that he didn't use the money for something terrible.... Actually he seemed to be doing quite fine now. As I returned to my dressing room I found it full of flowers. Reverently I touched the exotic flowers from the endless bouquets that filled the room with an exquisite fragrance. But one caught my eye, it had been placed on the vanity, it was roses... Peach roses done with an elaborate bow and a note... _

_It read: _

May your Talent blossom forever, Dear Savior.

_**Roger**_

_The card is in the back of my diary Lottie, though I do not know what happened to the roses. My Father and Andrew came in congratulating me with hugs and promises of a bright singing career. Alan arrived with a huge bouquet of red roses and hugged me so tight that I was unable to breathe. _

_Come to think of it. Alan and I have become good friends, my first impression of him was dubious but now he is so very different. That arrogant, pig-headed youth is gone leaving a gentle if a tad wicked young man bent on only making me happy it seems. _

_I wonder.... If... No it is absurd... _

_I must go now Lottie I am sorry, everything has happened too fast and... I feel at a loss. Maybe I will rewrite this entry to you since it is so poorly done, goodnight. _

Roger shut the diary with a snap, something like suppressed rage boiling in him. Alan, was... in love with Dorothy. The Dorothy whose soul resides in that cold metal body, he didn't know whether to laugh or fume. But he did abandon the glass and press the half full vodka bottle to his lips were he took a long drink. His brain now buzzing with an overdose of alcohol he fell into a deep dreamless sleep from which not even the end of world would awaken him..

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When not even her most dizzying of piano playing roused Roger Smith at fifteen past twelve Dorothy sedately made her way up to his room. Tomorrow evening was her debut and the housekeeper he had hired had done a good job. Norman had contacted them once in the last week, and only to say that he had arrived safely.

Dorothy did not think anything wrong with it, but on further inspection she found that strange. Norman did not show any concern for his Master, nor did Roger seem to feel the lose of Norman at all.

It seemed that something was going wrong here and she had no knowledge or comprehension of it.

She knocked softly on the polished oak door and waited. There was a deep silence beyond the several inches of treated wood and it was then she decided to try the handle. It gave easily under her turn and she stepped into the darkly masculine room of the Negotiator of Paradigm City. A soft gasp escaped her, it had been nearly a month since she had seen his room nothing had changed, it was still clean and filled with the sultry smell of his cologne. But now... It... affected her...

This place was too... Intimate... for her to be in. Dorothy checked herself, what a strange word to cross her data bank. Her eyes slid to the nearly empty bottle of vodka and a small black book that lay innocuously on the floor beside his large bed. She bent down and picked it up, opening to the page something fell out from the back and fluttered to the floor.

It was deep cream from age, made from a fine heavy card-stock. It settled on the floor face up revealing the familiar handwriting. Dorothy read it and froze, without picking it up she turned to the bed where the half open eyes of Roger Smith stared sleepily at her.

"Dorothy?" his voice was deep and husky from alcohol induced sleep. At once several of her servers fired rapidly their noise jarring and almost painful in her head. She suddenly could not stop staring at the way his lashes hid the deep color of his eyes or the way his lips parted as a took a deep breath.

She was unable to answer, as the color began to stain his cheeks.

"How embarrassing, what time is it?" Roger realized that Dorothy had never seen him hungover or drunk before.

Dorothy shook herself "Twenty past twelve" she bent and picked up the card sliding it back into in the book with a lightly trembling hand.

Roger sat up with a tremendous yawn "Could I have that back please"

Dorothy pressed the book close to her with a protectiveness that had only felt for Pero. "No"

The sleep seemed to clear from Roger's eyes and his feet slid over the side of the bed where they found his slippers. He stood pajamas and hair askew stinking of vodka and the lingering remains of his cologne.

He took a step towards her "That belongs to me Dorothy"

She shook her head "No it does not" her hand tightened around the small book the hum was beginning it was slowly building like a heartbeat, a song. For Roger still wore the ring around his neck and it flashed, dangling, peaking at her from the V of his collar. Dorothy felt her knees being to buckle, as he closed the short distance between them.

"Yes it does, do not force me to take the book from you" he said calmly

Dorothy felt what was that? A bubble of something in her throat... It was a laugh she realized with shock often she had seen Roger laugh and discovered that it was something she had never been able to do. It was beyond her cold body of metal, something that could never be programmed.

"It belongs to me" Dorothy's eyes widened the words left her mouth of their own volition they sprung from somewhere deep inside her. And her voice it seemed different...

Roger seemed to be briefly taken back, but it was carefully covered by the mask of neutrality he had long schooled his face to take during situations of severe negotiation.

"Give me the book Dorothy" he held his long fingered hand out to her

"I will not you are a voyeur looking in on my private thoughts" again her lips moved on their own. She clamped a hand over her mouth in shock. That strange look had returned to Roger's eyes, they glittered with that slightly glassy light.

"A voyeur... that is a naughty word" he replied "when your diary has been lost to everyone including yourself for more then forty years."

Roger reached out and pulled Dorothy's hand from her mouth, which by now was as pliable as butter since she was so close to the ring.

"If you do not give me that book, I will make good that name you called me Miss Wayneright"

"You wouldn't dare" Dorothy replied, but still her lips moved without her will. She could not fight, nor move she was trapped and the warmth of Roger's fingers on her wrist was numbing...

"I would, you know I have wanted to for a long time"

Dorothy's only response was a whimper, it seemed that something closed in her. She was once again herself

"Roger don't" she struggled to say as he bent and kissed her on the lips. It was brief yet impassioned, holding with it so many powerful emotions that some of her circuits sizzled like fatty meat on a skillet. When Roger pulled away Dorothy would say she was breathless, however she did not need air to live.

She pulled against him but he held her close "Please stop, you are killing me Negotiator" she said voice cracking.

Abruptly Roger released her "I..." he could say nothing more only his onyx eyes bored into hers. His face was flushed with a mixture of lust and embarrassment, for a few moments they only stared at one another.

"I sincerely apologize Dorothy, I have gone to far"

Dorothy could say nothing only that she was buzzing, she could feel the burnt wires shorting in her head and on top of that a strange suffocating feeling, as if this body was too cold for her. She felt herself turning and making her way to the door, where she shut it quietly behind her.

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	11. Chapter 11

AN: Thank you for the reviews!

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It was fortunate then that Norman arrived home early from his sisters house in the Domes. It was raining outside and he quickly slid into the foyer closing the dour umbrella and jumped. Standing at the doorway was Roger Smith wearing the most peculiar expression.

"Sir?" Norman's visible eye widened, he knew instantly that something had happened between his Master and Dorothy. But what? Roger looked almost stricken and yet exhilarated, a myriad of emotions danced across his face.

"I can't find Dorothy" Roger said simply

Norman slid off his soaked raincoat and galoshes "Why Sir?"

"I've done something terrible" Roger said nervously fixing his tie.

"Terrible?" Norman hung the dripping coat on the hook and placed his wet galoshes in the small shoe closet to dry.

"I-I" words failed Roger as Norman fixed his tie and eyepatch.

"What did you do Sir?"

"I kissed her"

Norman suppressed a fierce joy in his heart, yet his face showed nothing "Really Sir, that is most unusual. Did she enjoy it?"

Roger's face promptly turned red "No, I think. I think I may have hurt her"

Norman now could not hide the shock on his face "How?"

The Negotiator seemed to squirm like a little boy "I do not know, she left abruptly after I kissed her. I followed but she is gone. I cannot find her."

It was then that Norman knew where she was, where else would the android go other then...

"Excuse me Sir I am going to find Miss Dorothy now" he bowed and quickly passed Roger... Knowing exactly where to go...

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"Dorothy" the soft fatherly like voice broke Dorothy's garbled thoughts. She lay huddled in the corner of Big O's cockpit, the deep soothing voice of Big O fading into her data stream.

Dorothy opened her eyes "Norman?" in her monotone voice there was a hint of relief and of impending despair.

"Yes, I am here to help you" he bent down and held out his hand.

Feebly she searched her data bank "You are early, you are scheduled to come back tomorrow."

"Yes I know, but my sister has gotten well enough to no longer need my assistance."

Gently he put a hand on her shoulder

"Norman my efficiency has dropped over 30.789%... my wires have shorted. They are burning in my head..."

Norman patted her shoulder softly "I shall fix them right away, come to the lab."

Dorothy shook her head "No, let me stay here, let me stay with the Megadeuce."

Norman took a breath "Dorothy, you cannot feel good. Staying here will only make it worse" he replied calmly. Dorothy cast her amethyst eyes up at him

"Norman, what is happening to me?"

Norman, helped her up and carefully watched as she climbed down the ladder before following her. Dorothy never seemed so human as she did now, looking very much like a lost child standing in the vastness of the underground space that housed Big O and the Griffin.

"Come Dorothy" he took her by the hand and led her to the lab where she sat on the cold metal table beneath the bright light. Norman donning his white gloves opened the driver at her headband and carefully removed the disk, a bit of the awareness died from Dorothy's eyes when he set the disk gingerly on the table and looked within.

Norman sucked in his breath, it was worse then he thought. Nearly a dozen of the more fragile wires were sizzled to a blackened crisp. Gently he lay Dorothy down on the table and pulled the bright light closer. Taking one of his fine instruments, he gently pushed back the frayed wires to reveal the strange crystalline tissue had reached into her head....

Something made his stomach clench, but he steeled his nerves and began the work that would take him far into the night...

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It was sometime in the morning that Dorothy became aware of the warmth of fingertips against her neck, pressing the switch that brought her back to the living world. As she slowly rebooted and her diagnostic check began her eyes cleared and she saw the pale, haggard face of Roger Smith a huge box in his hand tied with a purple ribbon. The warmth of his hand fled away, his fingertips brushing her hair before he smiled. Dorothy observed that this wan curling of his full lower lip was halfhearted at most, he was not trying, she concluded.

Gingerly she realized that someone had covered her with a white sheet and placed a pillow behind her head. Slowly her eyes slid from the deep blackness of Roger's and to the chair beside the table, Norman slept with his head in his chest snoring deeply, his usual impeccable outfit and hair askew. The gloves he wore were burnt and full of holes.

"I put your disk back in Dorothy" Roger said softly.

"Thank you Negotiator" she replied sliding the sheet from her body, she never knew the feeling of cold or warmth so there was no need for such a... human gesture.

"I want to apologize again Dorothy"

"Enough Roger Smith there is no need for apologies." she snapped, she was feeling irritated again. And it was not in its usual mildness.

"But I've done the unspeakable" he said anguish on his handsome face. Dorothy was once again fascinated by his expression, it reminded her of an old statue that she had once seen in some long forgotten book, from the Hellenistic period... Wait...She blinked a few times..

"Not the unspeakable, the impossible, the preposterous to coin your word." Dorothy replied blandly sliding from the metal table and fixing her dour housekeepers dress. Tonight was her debut and she could not be standing here and wasting her precious time with this man...

Roger's jaw clenched even as his cheeks faintly colored. "Dorothy I..."

She held up her hand "I do not want to hear it Roger"

He halted a wounded look on his face, Dorothy found herself mesmerized.

"Does this mean that you are in love with me Roger Smith?" boldly the words came out of her in flat defiance of her Father's teachings and against the wishes of the strange being that seemed to have woken up in her. Dorothy could almost taste her displeasure, though she had no taste buds.

Roger wet his lips and swallowed visibly uncomfortable. Dorothy waited while he composed himself the vein in his neck was ticking wildly, he even began to perspire.

Finally Roger took a deep breath and looked at her through his long lashes, almost shy. Surprise flared in her new circuits another facet of Roger's personality that she had never even glimpsed before.

Humans truly were....

"I am in love with you Dorothy, no matter how I try to deny it. But it is forbidden, a human cannot love a android even if.... if she does have the soul of a human girl in her."

Dorothy froze "What did you say?"

"Your Father has left something for you, something very important. I believe it is buried underneath the old Wayneight mansion, waiting for the day you can claim it."

Dorothy began to tremble something in her was weeping, rejoicing filling her with a torrent of electricity,of light and sound. A strange musical noise was filling up the room, it was pretty like the song of a nightingale. In shock Dorothy realized that it was she who was making that noise. She was laughing...

Laughing....

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	12. Chapter 12

AN: Thank you for the reviews, sorry for the long wait my job as well as my other ff has eaten away my time again. enjoy!

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Roger was stunned still for a moment before raking a hand through his slicked back hair.

"Aren't you going to answer me?" a clipped tone had entered his voice. But it barely registered in Dorothy's data bank since she had brought her hand up to her mouth. Was this what shock was? Emotional shock? Another abstract and complicated emotion that had only been briefly downloaded into her by her Father.

"I knew already. I have always known from the moment I saw you in that warehouse. You recall your attraction for me before we became professionally involved?" she stated blandly from some still logical part of her servers.

Roger bit his lip "You are insufferable Dorothy!" he cried "here I have just poured my heart out to you and that is your lame, blasé answer."

She was recovering quickly "Of course what did you want me to do? Run up and passionately kiss you?"

Roger's cheeks began to flush, Dorothy's eyes narrowed "You are such a louse Roger Smith and now about this so called gift that my Father left me..." she stopped because Roger was moving towards her the box he held now dropping to the floor, soundlessly she looked from it to him at a sudden loss. This situation was so alien so foreign just as the time in the kitchen. Her circuits jumped at her recollection of that evening...

This was the same, she drew now a more abyss like blank then previous. And now that he was drawing nearer the ring... The ring, she took a few more steps back, feeling the energy sapping from her like a poison.

"Do not come any closer Roger" she said cooly, trying to gather her frazzled, numbed circuits into proper order but it was no use not after what happened in the bedroom... There seemed to be no diagnostic recovery, even though she was functioning at nearly one hundred percent efficiency.

He grabbed her arms roughly pinning them to her sides, now that the ring was so close she could not fight him, she was weak as a babe.

"I have admitted something very important to you. Do you not care?" he said through clenched teeth shaking her lightly. Dorothy released now that her inattention and disaffection had wounded him, seeing Roger Smith vulnerable was as nearly as jarring as the other emotion she had glimpsed only two times previous...

"I" she pressed her lips together, this was suddenly all too much. It was then that the Being that lived within her, the 'soul' that Roger had called it... Rose up and eclipsed Dorothy's personality, suddenly the deep amethyst of Dorthy's eyes lighted and became almost violet in appearance.

She smiled cooly at him "Hello again Negotiator"

Roger sucked in his breath "Miss Wayneright?"

"In the flesh... well" her smile became sly.

"Take the ring off if you want me to go back to sleep dear Roger. I know you do not want to lose Dorothy to a human soul that has no right to be living in a place such as this..."

He pulled the ring from his neck and tossed it onto the floor, "There"

Dorothy giggled something that was still strangely jarring to him "Tonight everything will be coming to an end, you know that. It is there in the darkness of your Memories. And no matter how badly Alain wishes me to awaken I will not do it for him."

She reached up and touched his face "Only for you, even if... You do not remember. Though it is some kind of ironic Fate, the the Master of this Stage has returned us together. How we must amuse Her."

Dorothy kissed his cheek softly "Goodbye Roger, let us meet again in another time." It was then that the expressive violet of Dorothy's eyes died and her eyes closed. Her body abruptly slumped against Roger's chest and struggling he slid to the floor with her.

"Dorothy?" he smoothed back the hair from her face, as Norman came over and helped him pick her up placing her on the table.

Moments later her eyes opened "Roger? Norman?"

Relief bloomed over the two men's faces. "Are you feeling better now, Miss Dorothy?" Norman asked casting his Master a look.

"Yes, what did you do?" instinctively she turned to Roger. For the first time since the ring had come into her life. Dorothy felt very close to herself,

"Nothing, only that I removed the ring" Roger said, reeling from the prophetic words that had passed from her lips only moments before.

She sat up, the both men hovering over her as if she were some fragile doll or a fine piece of glass. Her eyes fell to the box that was still laying on the floor.

"What is that?" she pointed to it. Roger turned and his eyes widened

"It is a gift for you" he said quickly picking it up and returning to her. "For tonight"

He set the large box in her lap and pulled the ribbon loose, lifting up the lid she gasped. From within the box frothed an exquisitely expensive dress of the deepest crimson. For a brief moment she could only stare, before gently, reverently touching the fabric. She looked up at Roger, to see him smile a little wanly.

"It is beautiful, thank you Roger Smith"

It seemed that this expression of her feelings only brought him pain, and his eyes lowered from hers. Face now unreadable, it was then that Dorothy released that something had changed between them. Humans were truly the most enigmatic beings, somewhere inside her Roger's words lingered filling up an empty space in her.

He loved her...

"Miss Dorothy, the young lady should be here soon to assist you" Norman said softly glancing at his pocket watch. She nodded and gently he guided her out of the lab shutting the heavy vault door behind her.

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After she was gone Norman took a deep breath, staring at Roger as he sat on the table that Dorothy had vacated. Roger racked his hands through his hair and stared at the floor eyes unfocused and far away,

"Master Roger what are you going to do?"

"Do?" Roger's eyes danced as he thought "I am going to solve this once and for all."

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	13. Chapter 13

AN: Thank you for the reviews, I made this one long... Theres only a few more chapters to the end! Sorry for the crappy writing my job is killing me.

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_August 21, 1948 _

_Dear Lottie, _

_Where, where has the time gone? I am aware that I have not written to you in over a month. So much has changed since that night in Nightingale... _

_My father is ill. Andrew has gone away to college and Alan... Alan is acting most strange I believe that he may be courting me... But doesn't the lady have to agree before the courting begins? _

_This is making our social outings very awkward. Now that Andrew is not there to curtail him Alan has turned once again into a... disturbing young man. I now wish that I had never met him. But that is for another entry, I do not wish to write about it now... I do not have the strength. _

_To add the icing to the cake, something very strange has happened..._

Roger closed the book with a snap as the young woman Lisa guided Dorothy down the stairs, Norman gasped and Roger looked up as a vision of a goddess garbed in red appeared before him.

The Negotiator's eyes widened as Dorothy looked up long lashes darkened with mascara, her one red gloved hand lightly grasping the well worn banister.

Roger felt his heart hammering wildly in his chest, reacting just as poorly as a schoolboy gazing at his first crush. He took a deep breath and let it out fighting for control.

"Dorothy you look beautiful"

"Thank you, but the shoes you picked out are most impractical." Roger gave an exasperated sigh, glaring at her bland face. Now enhanced beautifully with cosmetics, the alluring smell of a perfumed oil filling up the space around them.

Lisa giggled as Dorothy reached the bottom "Tell me Roger how does one walk without tripping on this ludicrous hem?"

Norman coughed loudly to hide his bark of a laugh and Roger shook his head "Ladies as poised as you should instinctively know"

"My Father did not program such a bogus thing into me" Norman hiding his grin handed Lisa a sealed envelope.

"Our thanks Miss. Lisa" Roger shook the young woman's hand and watched her blush.

She grinned sweetly "My pleasure Mr. Smith. Dorothy is sure lucky to have someone like you to take care of her."

He blinked thrown for a loop "Excuse me?"

Lisa's face reddened "Well aren't you Miss. Dorothy's employer and bodyguard?"

Roger cast a dark look at Dorothy "It is true isn't it Roger?" Dorothy said logically, pulling the glove tighter over her delicate hand.

"It is, but Miss. Dorothy earns everything herself. She is quite a hard worker" Roger replied, Lisa's brow rose.

"Oh really, well thank you Mr. Smith. It was an enjoyable experience" and then with a grin allowed herself to be lead away by Norman. When their footsteps had faded Roger quickly rounded on Dorothy, who shimmered like a ruby in the indirect lighting. He found himself suddenly mesermized unable too...

"Roger?" she turned and gazed at him, he held out his arm to her instead.

"Are you ready to go Miss. Dorothy?" he asked lightly teasing. She seemed to hesitate staring at him for another moment before taking his arm.

"I am" and together they left the mansion for the Nightingale.

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The Nightingale was cool, dim and filled with the smoke of countless cigarettes. Many people rich and poor alike were gathered at the elegant bar, sipping drinks and chatting in low tones. While couples sat at opulent tables eating light fare and romancing the night away.

Thanks to the genius of Instro's connections, Dorothy's debut show had sold out. Lynn Turner had just finished opening for Dorothy and her deep soulful voice was a perfect contrast to the angelic tones of Dorothy's voice. The stage was set to ensure success, nothing could go wrong. Least that is what Roger Smith hoped.

He now sat at a table nearest to the stage sipping a scotch and smoking his third cigarette, nerves tighter then a taut bowstring. Somewhere in the darkened splendor of this club Alan lay in wait... He was ready... Though Big Ear's lack of contact concerning the Wayneright Mansion's maps disturbed him.

Glancing at his watch he noted with distaste that Angel was once again, late. He wondered what she had picked out that day in the ladies department. He had not even stayed to help her select a dress...

The spotlight once again came on and the deep blue brocade curtain rose, revealing a honest to goodness grand piano polished to a mirror shine. Instro sat at the luxurious seat, his deft fingers beginning to play a haunting melody. The bright spotlight split illuminating a dark corner of the stage and revealing Dorothy in her glory. With a deep breath she parted her lips and began to sing...

Roger felt himself going limp with pleasure as Dorothy's voice filled up the club, her diary sat at the table unopened. He could not bring himself to read the last entry before it ended... Not yet...

Just then the glimmer of diamonds caught his eye as Angel sat down, Roger leaned forward and whispered

"Late again Angel."

She smiled "I found it," Angel whispered

"Found what?"

"What you were looking for"

She pushed a sheaf filled with maps into his hands "There is one room deep underground beneath the foundations of the mansion. It shows up in only one of the maps. That is the place you will find Waynerights gift, I'm sure of it."

"How do you know about that Angel?" Roger cried brow rising in anger, a few patrons turned and glared. Angel giggled.

"Big Ear is in some trouble for obtaining these, he has gone into hiding. Luckily I was able to intercept him before he ran and that's how I discovered your little secret. I must say you are an infinitely amusing person Roger Smith" she smiled widely sitting back "and such a naughty boy for keeping such a secret from me"

"And I suppose you will be "helping" me with this too? After you so kindly liberated me of the two books I obtained from Rosewater's underground crypt?" He retorted voice dripping with sarcasm.

In the candlelight Angel lit a cigarette and took a deep inhalation "Of course and what I did was necessary, I did it for your protection"

Roger took a sip of his scotch, knowing that arguing with Angel would get him nowhere. "Fine, then we do it tonight after the show. While everyone is distracted at the soiree."

Angel exhaled "Excellent. I expected you would say that, thats why I brought a change of clothes"

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As Dorothy sang she had observed Roger's face in the dim light of the club. Before he seemed quite pleased, for a smile had played over his lips that had fascinated Dorothy... Calling to her...

But now he seemed faintly displeased as he spoke with Angel. This was a familiar emotion to her, but there was something else beneath that... Roger Smith by nature was not a emotional man but in the last five minutes he had gone through a full gamut of emotions, so quickly that Dorothy was having a hard time processing them. However, Dorothy knew that something was happening, keenly watching the exchange of the sheaf of papers between the Negotiator and Angel.

They were planning something... And she knew what it was... They would not exclude her from this, like they had done with the diary. Roger still had it, his hand rested almost lovingly over the cover as if protecting it.

She would follow Roger all night after this, never giving him a chance to breathe. When the time came he would be forced to take her wherever he was going with that... woman.. Dorothy nearly stopped singing as a sharp unknown emotion slid into her data, it was new for there was no record of it in any of her servers.

It must have showed on her face for a contrary laugh rose over the music and the gold of a gun barrel flashed.

Dorothy's eyes widened as a shot rang out, plunging the Nightingale into chaos...

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	14. Chapter 14

AN: Thank you for the reviews!

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Dorothy felt it as clear as the day a great pain that seemed to bloom from her chest. There was a strange sound of something like glass cracking, but Dorothy was not made of glass. She was not some fragile glass figurine in a menagerie. She was no lifeless doll that... Vaguely her servers registered a returned gunfire over the din of screams and overturned furniture. Before the blackness rose up to meet her, sweet and peaceful in its abyss.

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"Dorothy!" Roger threw off the three bouncers that tried to attack him, watching with impotent fury as Alan's thin frame clad in a cream tuxedo melt into the darkened crowd. He ran up onto the stage and picked Dorothy up, a bullet hole had burnt through the fine satin of her dress and pieces of glass fell from the wound. For a moment his breath seemed to still, remembering that evening long ago when Norman had shown him what was inside Dorothy.

"Miss Wayneright is gone" he said softly, knowing that whatever had been in that glass orb was now free. He did not know how long he remained there or, when the tears had come. But they came.. From somewhere so deep in him that was surrounded sweetly by hidden Memories ones that had long been locked away.

"Roger" a gentle voice broke the silence.

Roger looked up the tears now but dry streaks on his handsome face. Angel stood there looking at him face unreadable.

"We still have a mission to complete for her sake."

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Instro came up beside her, "I will take her back to Norman, Negotiator"

Roger nodded "See what Norman can do."

Though this had happened once before, it seemed that Roger took this especially hard. Maybe it was because it was like Angel had said. He had grown to close to the real Dorothy, the Miss. Wayneright that lived in that wicked little diary.

Something cold and small was pressed into his hands, Roger looked down. Angel closed his hand over the diary scuffed from the bedlam of the now empty club.

"I wanted to give this back to you. You should know how the story ends" she said gently with a mirthless smile on her beautiful face.

Roger slid it into his pocket "Later after we find out whatever in that room"

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The Wayneright mansion was a sprawling edifice in the Upper Domes, he had been here before on several occasions one with Dorothy herself. But now they moved around the house proper, across the ostentatious lawn and to a small building that looked like it had once been the servants quarters. A deadbolt lay over the door, marked with the conspicuous letters of condemned. Angel cut the blot easily and wordlessly they moved into the foyer. It seemed they no longer followed the map that now sat unused in his breast pocket. Angel now seemed to be moving entirely by instinct.

The place seemed to have been gutted entirely from fire all the once modest rooms, just crumbling cinder and petrified wood from the heat of the blaze. The moon drifted through the cracks in the boarded windows casting the place into an eerie land of nightmares. Angel flicking on her flashlight pushed open what must have been the kitchen and stopped.

"Look this place seems untouched" she looked around, an ancient stove and refrigerator sat to once side. The cabinets clean and white, beneath them where white tiled floors and at the far end a door. Roger knew that this door was what they were searching for.

Taking the lead he turned the handle and it gave way opening to a long corridor that seemed to slant downwards into the earth. It was steep and smelt of mold and earth, flicking on his own light Roger began to walk down the path.

Soon enough he was half slipping half sliding on the moist earth, abruptly stopping at a white door. It was steal and riveted, the rivets were new... With Angel's assistance they turned the great dial and the door suddenly unlocked, the sound of something like a vacuum seal releasing. Roger gasped, suspended in a tube filled with liquid was the frame of a beautiful girl with long red hair. She wore a white dress and her arms were crossed over her chest as if in death. But she was not dead, her lips were rosy red her cheeks flushed with life. She seemed almost to be smiling, as if she had expected them to come. Around this huge glass tube was a complex set of machinery that ran nearly soundlessly. Its lights steady and unblinking, Roger pressed his hand to the glass watching the way the girl's hair moved slowly, languorously with the slight current of the water.

"What is this Angel?"

Angel was in the corner, going through what looked like a very old log book its pages crumpled and burned from age. She said nothing...

"Wayneright's greatest gift to his daughter" she replied then, her voice hollow in the space.

Roger looked up at the girl "T-this is Miss. Wayneright? The real Miss. Wayneright?"

"Who else could it be Roger? Look at her, she looks like the android except... more beautiful more alive. " she flipped through the book, far far back.

For a long time, Roger could only stare this was truly some kid of sacred violation to the nameless God of Paradigm. Roger vaguely wondered if Big O ever knew anything about this, considering there was never cause to use him anywhere here...

"Dear God they've been keeping her alive since September 21, 1948" Angel looked up at him with wide eyes.

Roger mouth was suddenly dry "We have to find a way to release her from this" he heard himself saying

Angel shook her head "What if she is like RD once awoken Roger? What then, will you take pleasure in killing her personally or will I be the one to do it?"

He turned to her "Help me look for a switch"

In time they did find a small red button on the bottom of the huge tank, Roger looked at it for a long moment vacillating, his head filled with so many whirling emotions. Finally with his breath held, he pressed it. There was a great noise and the once steady lights began to blink, going off much like a Christmas tree before the liquid that suspended the girl was rapidly draining and the tube automatically unsealed leaving Roger to step up and remove her gently from her floating state.

A waif thin body, lighter then a goose settled in his arms. As the girl, no Miss. Wayneright's lashes fluttered , her lips parting to take her first breath in over a century.

Angel helped Roger remove his jacket, where he placed over her, resting her head on his lap.

"Miss Wayneright" Roger said gently smoothing the hair from her face. Angel watched silently, holding the ancient logbook in her hands. Her face was tight with anger and repressed tears, watching Roger crooning like a pigeon at this girl.

Finally after some gentle coaxing on his part Miss. Wayneright finally opened her deep amethyst eyes, covered by a thick spread of lashes.

"Roger... Smith?" she rasped, voice gravelly from disuse.

"Yes Miss. Wayneright?"

Her eyes closed the dim light to much for them "Did Alan not shoot me at the club? What is this place?" there was true panic in her voice as she said this.

Roger became absolutely still, the color rapidly leaving his face "Dorothy? Dorothy R. Wayneright?" he breathed as his whole body began to break out into a cold sweat.

She sat up and groaned prettily, her face near inches from his "Negotiator why do you look at me like that?" she asked, swimming in his coat.

From the corner Angel began to laugh very softly, "You are android Dorothy aren't you? Not Miss. Wayneright?"

"I cannot account for the Being that is in me anymore. Actually my body feels very light, and soft... Did Norman make some sort of upgrade? Is this a new part of the Lab?" she looked directly into Roger's eyes as she said this, counting the lashes that ringed his onyx eyes. His face was bloodless his eyes darker then night, they remained fixed on her unblinking.

"Roger" Dorothy reached out touching his face with her damp hand and she gasped withdrawing. Several new and powerful sensations shot through her body, which was no longer made of metal, no servers hummed softly in her head. It was replaced by the gentle nearly inaudible sound of the blood pumping wildly thorough her veins. Dorothy put her hand on her head and whimpered

"What has happened to me?"

"You are human..." Roger said finally finding his voice "this was your father's gift to you"

Dorothy touched her hair and then her face, looking at her long nails the dress that plastered to her young body beneath the coat, marveling. She could feel the fabric sticking to her body, yet she was warm beneath the fine silk of Rogers tuxedo jacket.

She reached up and touched his face again baby smooth from the shave and caressed it. So many more sensations came to her in that simple action then in all her life in that metal body. Unconsciously her lips moistened

"Roger" Angel's voice broke the strange trance they were in. Dorothy turned to Angel

Roger dazzled blinked slowly "What is it?"

"She's going to catch a cold in that wet dress down here in the damp"

Roger shook himself and stood picking up Dorothy in one smooth motion. His arms wrapping around Dorothy's body was suddenly too much. To much heat, to much sensation and the blackness came to meet her.

Roger sighed as Dorothy'd head slumped against his chest. "She's fainted"

Angel hid a smile "Of course, she is in the arms of a big strong man"

He grinned "You jealous Angel?"

Angel shot a glare over her shoulder as she opened the huge door "I suppose so, your are going to be a lovesick puppy for the next few weeks doting over her."

Roger scoffed as they ascended the steep hill "I shall not, Norman will be helping me"

"Ha! Two lovesick men" Angel said laughing as they stepped out of the old house into the moonlight.

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	15. Chapter 15

AN: Okay I have finally gotten over my epic writers block for this story. enjoy!

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Dorothy sat in front of the breakfast before her, Norman had made her something called porridge. Wheat ground fine and cooked with milk for a long time. Dorothy blinked as Norman added some golden honey into the fine bowl. Dorothy reached out and caught the honey stream on her fingertip. How strange it felt! And brought her fingertip innocently to her mouth tasting it.

How.. pleasant... It was... Dorothy did not know the word for it since in her android form she had no taste buds.

"Sweet" there it was. Roger made a strangled noise from down the huge table and she looked from Norman's carefully neutral face to Roger's. His cheeks were flushed

Taking time to get used to the subtle coating on her tongue she said "What is it Roger Smith?"

"Dorothy... You must learn that.. that is something you do not do at the table" his face was red as Dorothy licked the little bit of honey that was trapped beneath her shapely nail. Norman hid a snort, as she wiped her finger on the napkin and then mixed the porridge with her spoon. Her cheeks burned, these two men knew something that she did not and it was beginning to vex her.

"Tell me what I have done wrong Roger Smith" she stated plainly.

Roger looked away

"Norman?" Dorothy looked helplessly at the older gentleman. Norman's face was carefully bland.

"Master Roger is... To coin your own phrase, being a Louse."

Dorothy blinked several times and seemed stunned "But why? I did nothing untoward or inappropriate did I Norman?"

Norman seemed to be choking back another laugh "I believe Master Roger finds you very attractive Miss. Dorothy. When a man finds a woman so attractive his mind tends to wander to inappropriate situations... Fantas..."

"ENOUGH Norman!" Roger cried and Norman chuckled bowing.

"As you wish" and he exited the dinning room.

Turning back to Roger, Dorothy was most perplexed. She had only been in this body for five days, and yet what a whirlwind of five days it had been! She experienced and felt the world in an entirely different way. So many more emotions filled her body, her mind... Her soul. And yet she retained all her knowledge and intelligence she had as an android. As she observed Roger now, he was swirling his scrambled eggs around his plate. Denoting that he had no interest in them now that they had grown cold.

"Are you going to eat those?" she asked, finding that she did not particularly like the taste of porridge. She delicately pushed her bowl to one side and took a sip of her milky coffee. Roger's onyx eyes slid to her face from the newspaper that he had laid out on the table, no doubt as a distraction from his wandering thoughts. Whatever those may be...

"No would you like some?" he said a strange glint in his eyes. Dorothy's felt her cheeks beginning to redden, it was something that was happening more and more now. There seemed to be no way for her to stop it, she wished she could.

In one smooth movement Roger rose and brought his cold eggs down the length of the imperious table and took the vacant seat next to hers. He pushed the eggs towards her

"Eat them then"

"I have no fork" she replied

Roger licked her spoon clean from her porridge and handed it to her "Here"

Dumbly she stared at him "But you licked it. Isn't that..." she searched for the word "unsanitary?"

He grinned "We are friends aren't we Dorothy?" Roger gazed at her guilelessly

Dorothy tilted her head to once side she had little experience with friends, Pero had been her friend and so was Instro. But Roger Smith? Friends? How could they be after... after he had said those words. Those words that had made her body become unbearably warm as if suddenly her skin was to small to contain her.

She took the elegant utensil from between his long fingers and stared down at the eggs with the spoon poised above them.

"I cannot eat them with this" she handed him back the spoon,

"Then I will feed you them" he said dipping the spoon into the barely eaten eggs and bringing it up to her. Dorothy's mind became blank

"Open your mouth Dorothy please" he coaxed gently. Dorothy complied only because she was at a complete loss at what to do in this situation. As she ate she observed Roger's facial expressions he seemed very pleased, that perfect fan of lashes were slightly lowered as if he were almost shy doing something like this. Dorothy was quite sure that he had never done this before in his whole life, but he was gentle, feeding her as if she were the most precious thing in the whole world.

When the plate was empty, she wiped her mouth delicately with the napkin in her lap. And realized how truly close they had become. Their knees brushed, the smell of his expensive cologne which she now identified as amber and vetiver rose up around her like a poison, lulling her into a strange state that was entirely unknown to her until this moment.

"Did you like them?" his deep voice was suddenly all around her. Dorothy meet his eyes directly

"Yes, I like scrambled eyes. That was the first thing I ate four days ago when I woke up in this body."

"Even when they are cold?" his voice had taken on an odd timbre.

"Even cold thank you Negotiator, but next time I will feed myself" some logical part of her brain replied. Roger reached up and touched her face, Dorothy sucked in her breath sharply this... This was the sensation she could not get used to. Touching, touching another human being... Or in this case when Roger Smith touched her.

It was not often but... Roger's thumb caressed her cheek, as if slowly savoring the feel of her skin. Dorothy could not breathe, she felt all the blood rushing to her head.

"Norman!" Roger called breaking the moment. He stood and tossed his napkin into the empty plate as the dour butler came in.

"Yes Sir?"

"Did you call Mr. Jenkins about canceling Dorthy's oil supply orders?"

"Oh yes Sir, I took care of that days ago" Norman said observing Dorothy's lost look. He stepped into the room and passed the Negotiator.

"Would you like to go shopping today Miss. Dorothy? Roger has invited Lisa to help you shop"

Dorothy looked up at him her amethyst eyes wide limpid pools, "Yes please. Since I take it I am no longer your assistant housekeeper"

Norman smiled gently "No you are not, you are Roger's personal assistant unless you would like to get a job outside of the mansion."

That idea appealed to her greatly... however "I need time to think Norman..." she looked at Roger's suave figure as he sipped some of his coffee from the other end of the table. The suit he wore was particularly fine more so then usual, there was a nearly unnoticeable pinstripe to it.

"Do you think Roger Smith will allow it?" she asked

"Oh yes he would welcome it. You need to expose yourself to people your own age, become better acquainted with humanity. Besides there is still a great many types of food you haven't tried."

Dorothy smiled, still finding the curling of her face muscles amusing "I would like that very much"

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	16. Chapter 16

AN: This is WAY WAY overdue. I'm really sorry everyone.

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Dorothy looked around the small, delicate coffee shop and bit into a scone that she had liberally buttered. Her face melted in pleasure

"This is...wonderful" she sighed after chewing daintily and swallowing. Lisa grinned as she sipped her tea.

"Did you like Gimbal's?"

Dorothy nodded "I think I may have gone...a little overboard" she said gesturing to the dozen bags around the small table.

Lisa laughed "Its okay, besides you had a whole trousseau to buy. I could never imagine living in house where you could only wear black" she shook her head.

Dorothy pressed her lips together, she had never thought to ask why this particular rule existed. Now it intrigued her..

Just then Roger walked into the small cafe, and immediately his presence reached out to her from across the room. That was what the proper word was... his presence... It was the only word that seemed appropriate for this feeling that rose up in her.

He took the empty seat across from her as the waiter came over and he ordered a cup of very black, very strong coffee. Her cheeks were already beginning to redden, vaguely she tried to stop them and gave up.

"I see you are out of your housekeepers dress" Roger said smoothly when he had said hello to Lisa. The young woman suddenly excused herself leaving them alone. Dorothy then experienced another new and entirely confusing emotion, she was uncomfortable. Instead she answered blandly, smoothing out a wrinkle in her pale blue dress.

"I see you are wearing the same tie from two days ago."

"Norman has not pressed my ties yet Dorothy, remember that was your job?" he said his one brow rising as the waiter came with his cup of coffee.

"What about that housekeeper you hired when Norman had gone to visit his sister?" she suggested logically, wondering why he had been dwadling in hiring a new employee.

"She is on her honeymoon" Roger replied

"So will you be hiring her when she returns?" Dorothy asked biting into her scone again

"I will, I have already begun putting your resume into several of the top agencies. Norman said that maybe filing or secretarial work will be a good start for you."

Dorothy's cheeks flushed in pleasure "I agree, I do not think I have the mannerisms for something like customer service yet." A fierce joy was flowing through her, finally to be able to see the rest of the world as humanity does was a heady prospect. Her heart was pounding wildly, suddenly she became aware of Roger's eyes on the top of her bent head. She looked up

"Roger is something wrong?" she asked, that peculiar light had returned to his eyes again. Alarm and another unidentifiable emotion passed through her.

"Your happiness is infectious, I feel like smiling myself" The Negotiator replied somewhat vaguely.

"The dour Negotiator smiling, I think not" she said attempting a joke. Her third one, Norman had told her it was all about timing. It garnered a small smile from Roger, which doubled her pleasure.

Suddenly she recalled this mornings incident at breakfast, she broke a small piece of her scone and held it up to him "Would you like a piece? I know you haven't eaten since breakfast"

Roger's onyx eyes suddenly flared hot, her body heated in response. She had done something wrong surely for that reaction. Slowly she withdrew her hand and Roger caught her wrist, his touch burned like a furnace.

"Roger release me" Dorothy said quietly, overwhelmed

Abruptly he did just so when Lisa returned to the table "Did I miss something?" she asked then cheerfully, trying to cut the tension at the table.

Roger had sat back and drained his coffee in two gulps "Are you ladies ready?" he asked avoiding her question. They nodded and paying, the Negoiciator of Paradigm escorted the two women out of the cafe.


	17. Chapter 17

AN: Another overdue chapter, I think I may be ending this in 4(?) more chapters. Life's been killing me sorry for the long delay. And thank you all for your reviews!

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Outside Dorothy was perplexed, Roger's reaction was decidedly untoward. Lisa said her goodbyes to them as Roger and Dorothy walked down the avenue to where he had parked the Griffin. He was of course carrying her dozen bags, another one of 'Roger's Rules' Dorothy surmised.

When she had slid into the Griffin and he had started the engine of the massive vehicle Dorothy ventured the question that had been burning in her for the last several minutes.

"Why is it that people who live in your home are to only wear black?"

Roger pulled out into traffic, Dorothy idly watching the transportation department of Paradigm city beginning to erect the garlands for Heaven's Day. She had neglected to get Roger a gift at Gimbal's...

"Roger?" she turned back to him, to see that his grip on the steering wheel was tight

"That is none of your business Dorothy" he said after a time.

Dorothy gazed at his perfect profile, observing that indeed this line of questioning was making him decidedly uncomfortable, but then that was always her way. Even now.

The Negotiator swerved out of the lane as a pink car cut in unexpectedly, cursing under his breath they turned up 28th street. the Griffin rocketing back up 5th avenue and to the bank building. Tension built up in the car. It came from Roger and indeed she fed it making it stronger till it was unbearable. As an android she had never had such a grasp of this emotion, but now it was overwhelming. She could not breathe.

"You do know what I did at the cafe was a kind gesture, you have eaten so little since I have become human" she said blandly

"I do realize that Dorothy, but it does not help that I am still very attracted to you. Though even now there is a vast difference between our ages" Roger spoke plainly something that Dorothy found quite surprising.

Color flooded her cheeks "I did not think... I was to forward, there is still so much I must learn. Already I am driving you mad." Why was she making excuses? Was it because he was so forward? Maybe next time she should learn to curb her blunt tongue.

Roger turned to her and smiled a little wanly "It wasn't much different when you were an android"

Dorothy felt a smile curl her lips, still she was fascinated by her bodies reaction. Roger's dry wit and humor always did please her but now...she liked it very much.

"Though I resent that comment I know it is the truth" she replied, her eyes traveling to the dashboard between them. There lying innocuously was the small black book, the real Dorothy's diary.

"Have you finished reading it?" she asked

"No, not yet. But I must and soon" he sighed softly

Dorothy reached out and touched the scuffed cover of the diary as if somehow trying to feel the presence of the Being that had resided in her android body. Her mind began to drift, sifting through everything with a fine precision that she had retained from one body to the other.

Suddenly a large elegant hand closed over hers, she jumped and looked up.

"We are here Dorothy" Roger Smith said softly, Dorothy could count the lashes that ringed those dark obsidian eyes. When had he become so close? Why was the Griffin suddenly so small, so warm? He caressed her hand. Suddenly Dorothy had the compulsion to touch his face, his hair, to bury her fingertips in the soft, short locks.

She reached out with her free hand and lay a lightly trembling hand on his cheek "Roger it is not right that I... Such a young woman will be living here...with you a older gentleman." Dorothy spoke carefully her intelligent mind finally grasping the fine nuance of his words moments before.

"No it is not, Dorothy that is why I wish to make you my ward."

The moment broke or more appropriately Dorothy was jarred from it as Norman and his motley crew of older men who maintained Big O appeared near Roger's door. She pulled away like a frightened doe and abruptly Roger released her hand. Sal, Norman's oldest friend opened the door for Dorothy and she stepped out as Norman spoke to Roger, the men huddled around him.

"Dorothy come here please" Roger's voice was grave he wore the carefully neutral mask of Negotiation. She knew it was not good.

She came to stand near Roger, her hair like silken fire in the overhead lights of the underground warehouse. "What has happened?"

"Your Memory Core is gone Dorothy, from your android body" Roger said gravely. Dorothy felt her new senses suddenly reel. First he wished to make her his ward and now this...

"Where was my body kept?" she looked at the faces of the two men, the two humans who had become her family since that day in the abandoned warehouse.

"In my Lab, Miss Dorothy" Norman answered quietly "I did not notice anything was amiss until today"

Once again she was struggling to breathe for a new emotion, so disturbing in its violence came to her. She felt as if she were standing in this space naked, shame made her hot with sweat... she felt... violated...

"You know who has taken it... Alan has broke in before and he came again, no doubt when the two of you were helping me adjust to this...new body." Dorothy felt her stomach churn, never the one for theatrics yet vivid memories of Alan's lips against hers flashed through her mind. Instead of the bland, curious emotion they had once aroused in her, now brought horror... She struggled for control, she was her Father's daughter not some insipid, whiny delicate female...

The next moment Dorothy fainted, her light fragile body slumped against Roger as he caught her.

"Norman call Dr. Doe"

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Nervously Roger sat outside Dorothy's door, stubbing his cigarette in the ashtray that Norman had brought him.

Dr. Doe quietly stepped out from Dorothy's room, wearing a serene smile on his ancient, wrinkled face. Roger stood

"Will she be alright?" he blurted much like a witless, lovesick teenager. Dr. Doe chuckled softly

"Of course, Norman has told me that she has gone through a difficult time. It is merely fatigue, from the stress of adjusting to the new circumstances" Roger silently thanked the nameless God of Paradigm for a man as wise as Norman, who never seemed to be in short supply of people who could keep secrets.

Gently Dr. Doe put a hand on his shoulder "Let her rest, don't push her too much Mr. Smith. Despite her firey personality which Norman dotingly regaled to me, she is still just a 16 year old young lady."

Those words once again shook Roger to his core, as Dr. Doe kindly passed Roger and took the stairs back down to the lower level.

Raking a hand through his hair Roger paced the hall like a caged tiger. Dorothy was now a flesh and blood girl, a girl who had NO business living with a man who was 15 years her senior. Why it was scandalous! And it went against all of his Rules. How many had he broken since she had come to his home in that human body?

He wiped his face with his free hand... a dozen at least. Norman didn't even chastise him... He was going to be branded a uncouth, crooked rake. Once word got out, not a single person would trust his Negotiation.

Quickly he pushed that out of his mind and turned to the more pressing matters, the Memory Core. His whole body tightened with sudden rage, when he got his hands on Alan... No scientist in the whole of the earth would be able to repair that scrawny bio-android body...

"Roger?" a soft voice broke his thoughts, Roger looked up to see Dorothy standing at the doorway to her room looking at him through her lashes. She wore a pale pink nightgown and robe that was laced to her neck. Her feet were bare, she still looked pale

"Dorothy you must go back and rest"

She shook her head red hair pooling around her thin shoulders "Roger, Rosewater is going to use my Memory Core to power the Megadeuce he is building from the Union's robots. The ones that you saw in the underground warehouse just weeks ago."

Roger's blood briefly stilled in his chest "Big O and I will not let him succeed"

Dorothy's lips curled faintly "I am aware of that Roger Smith. I would never picked a man who could not properly protect me."

Roger approached her till they were nearly nose to nose, "You still hold me to that contract Dorothy?"

She took a deep breath, inhaling Roger's fine cologne her lashes fluttered like agitated butterflies "Yes, even though I no longer need that Core to survive. You must get it back, no man can become God of this city. The Megadeuce's already hold that right."

Roger cupped her cheeks with his hands, for a brief electric moment Dorothy thought that he would kiss her.

"Roger..." his name left her mouth as a plea, yet she did not know why. Something seemed different, he had put up some kind of emotional barrier between them. Or had it always been there?

Her soft plea seemed to stun Roger for a moment, before his face took on that look. The look that had fascinated Dorothy in her android body, where his onyx eyes were half shielded by those thick lashes. Now it made her unbearably warm, as if her skin had become to tight to contain her.

His gentle warm hands suddenly began to burn against her cheeks. Overwhelmed Dorothy tried to move remembering that the idea of a 16 year old girl and a 31 year old gentleman was...

Whatever coherent thought was firing through her synapses scattered entirely as Roger brushed his lips tantalizingly over hers. Dorothy whimpered softly as her body suddenly flared to life, in all her years of dwelling in that body of steel never had she felt like this.

Brazenly she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, pouring this new feeling into the kiss. Wanting to make him understand what had been in her all this time. Hoping that within him too it dwelled, this all consuming want. Need. Now in this body of meat she had the words that were evading her all this time.

She dug her nails into his shoulders as he crushed her body into his with a moan. The moment that Roger deepened the kiss, Dorothy cried out as liquid heat spread through her body. This jarred Roger from his leave of sanity and he released her lips stepping back.

For a long moment the two of them stared at one another, Roger's lips were swollen from Dorothy's chaste yet impassioned kiss. Bewildered, body tingling and humming as if servers still dwelled in her head Dorothy stood there in a daze her legs trembling. She grabbed the door for support and when she looked up the Negotiator of Paradigm was gone.

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	18. Chapter 18

AN: WOW its been a really really long time since I updated this. This is another chapter before the big finale. Only three chapters left. Thanks to everyone who persisted in reviewing this and keeping me aware it was still alive. XD

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The night with a heavy heart Roger Smith opened to the final page of Dorthy's diary. Finding quickly where he had left off.

_ …..Something strange has happened, even now I cannot fully grasp **why** it happened... But I must tell you that Father has found me a rather mundane job working for a very peculiar woman. Her name is Angel Rosewater... _

Roger's heart all but stopped in his chest but he could not take his eyes from the page.

_I know that I must not speak ill of one of the greatest philanthropists of our Time. But... I have a very nagging feeling about her when she comes into the office. _

_That is where I work Lottie, as one of her three secretaries. My job is to answer phones and keep all of Miss. Rosewater's appointments. Father has told me she has been in Society since he was a child, but surely his memory is fading from the illness. Father is nearly 70, and Miss. Rosewater looks barely older then her mid-twenties. Has she discovered the fountain of youth? Some brilliant plastic surgeon? _

A knock came at his door jarring Roger from the small neat script before him "Come in" he called.

The door opened and there framed within was Dorthy R. Wayneright, she bore no traces of what happened that morning. Only a slight frown which Roger was not entirely sure she knew she was making. Again that forbidden surge of attraction came to him- and he had no desire to quash it now. He rose tying the knot neatly in his robe.

"Is there something that you need Dorothy?" he asked evenly.

"I do not want to be made your ward. When you have retrieved my Memory Core from Rosewater I will leaving this house. I free you of your duty to protect me." she replied with finality.

Dorothy stood firm, her delicate hands clenched to fists at her sides, she had worn her best gown for this occasion. A barrier it was between her and Roger's presence, which even now filled her head with cotton. As the smell of that expensive cologne wormed its way into her pores till she had no idea where she began or ended. There beneath her swirl of torrid emotions, was that overwhelming desire need to understand what had happened this morning. What had possessed the two of them too...

She felt it again the rise of heat on her cheeks how she hated her bodies reaction.

"Do you have anything to say Negotiator or are you just going to stand there" she prodded blandly. Watching the way his eyes flashed, he was impeccable even in a night robe and pajamas- with those tousled bangs.

Roger looked into the small fire at the grate- lit tonight for the sudden chill. "I fear you cannot leave till we solve the mystery of this"

He held up the small black book, and instead of her anger came that ever present curiosity. "Have you finished reading it?" she asked.

"No, I'm afraid you interrupted me" a small wry smile curled the corner of his lips. Dorothy looked down to the thick carpeted rug wishing that he would have been angry. Or at least given her a reaction that she could comprehend. Instead he gave this- what was it? Dorothy had no idea.

He approached her opening the book and holding it out to her "Will you do me the honor of reading it aloud? I'm afraid I can hardly believe what I've read"

Looking into his eyes Dorothy nodded, bewildered at this sudden turn of events. She had expected Roger to throw a tantrum like a five year old boy yet here they were speaking like two rational people. No trace of anger, yet there was something there in the depths of his eyes.

"Before I do" she replied "I would like to know what happened this morning." Gently she took the book from his hand.

Roger's eyes lowered "I am afraid I took advantage of you Dorothy. Your Father at least must have told you what that means." his deep voice was tinted with something like what? Shame. Dorthy instinctively felt that it was an emotion he did not experience on a regular basis. Yet why would he be ashamed?

She blinked quickly "Do you not think it was the other way around? After all I was the one who..." she trailed off as Roger gazed at her through his lashes. Her mouth suddenly dried out and she looked down at the words in the diary. They were blurring before her...

There was that sensation again. The feeling that was with her in the hallway that morning.

She licked her lips, willing some coherence to her thoughts "I fear I must apologize then if I am the one who took advantage of you."

"There is no apology needed Dorothy. I do agree about you leaving, you know you cannot continue to stay here as a single young woman. People will begin to get ideas-" he paused, a strange almost pained look crossing his handsome features. Dorothy could only stare.

Then again Roger was so very close to her, so close that she could smell the mint on his breath intermingled with the clean smell of his aftershave. Dorothy's grip on the diary tightened, blood thrumming wildly in her ears. Before he pressed her gently against the doorframe the diary falling between their feet. Her hands had found their way underneath the collar of his fine robe to find to her shock that he wore no shirt beneath. Glorious, hot flesh lay beneath her fingers. As her fingertips skirted his collar bone, the hard panes of his chest. Roger seemed to purr like some big cat before he dipped to nibble the lobe of her ear.

A pleasant shock burned through her and she could not stop the soft sound of a sigh that came from between her lips. Standing on her tiptoes with sensation when Roger's hot tongue glided delicately into the shell of her ear. Dorothy did all she could to suppress the sudden sound that was building up in her throat. Instead she forced it into words

"What is this?" she murmured as her hands sought a place to rest, suddenly agitated at the sensations flowing through her. This was the same yet somehow different from this morning, like a flame that was slowly being tempered till it burned hot- hot enough to melt steel.

Roger answered her not with words but instead with a kiss. Soft and gentle- teasing his lips over her's in gentle swipes till Dorothy's lips bloomed beneath his in deep yearning. He caught her hands and held them between their bodies, tasting her with the utmost care.

Dorothy was mindless- everything that she had been mentally processing since this morning was gone with the wind.

Replaced again with that one word-need- the desire for this man. In some way even in her android body she had wanted him like this. For that was the only reason why she had chosen him to be her protector. It was as if- if one could believe in something like Destiny within a godless city such as Paradigm. They had been meant to come together like this. Forging first a peculiar friendship and now... something so much more...

She did not know what she was doing other then, she opened her mouth wider beneath his. Mentally begging him to kiss her deeper. Something inside Roger seemed to break then, and he did what she wanted. He kissed her, not in the sweet melting way he had done the last two times. Now, he coaxed her gently to tilt her head. His soft husky urging making her hotter then she already was, before angling his lips over hers in a deep drugging kiss.

Fire flowed through her veins her grip tightening on his hands. She wanted him to touch her, crush her against that hard, muscular body. The plea came from her in a voice that did not sound like her own

"Please"

That plea was enough it seemed to drag Roger from his second more grievous leave of sanity. He stepped away to find that indeed the collar of his robe had been dragged nearly over one of his wide muscular shoulders. All the blood rushed to her face in shock when she looked down at her hands wondering exactly how she had done that.

"Dorothy, from now until you leave I suggest you no longer make any trips to my room" Roger said carefully his voice oddly husky.

Trembling from head to foot, Dorothy swallowed tasting mint and some sort of deep lingering spice in her mouth, on her lips.

"What about the diary?" she couldn't look at him. She knew that irresistibly fascinating look was back on his face. She knew that his lips were pink and swollen cheeks as flushed as her own.

Another thrill passed through her, watching as he bent to pick up the diary "I will finish reading it. In the morning I will have Norman give it to you to look at."

"No," she said regaining her iron composure "let me read it now" she extended her small delicate hand for the diary. For a suspended moment Roger gazed at her for the first time in a very long time his gaze unreadable.

"Of course" just as he was to hand the diary to her. A knock came on the door, the dour from of Norman stood there. His bland face betrayed by the twinkle in his eyes when he took in both Dorothy and Roger's dishabille.

"Master Roger, Miss Dorothy I am so sorry to disturb you but a large Megadeuce has appeared at the Sea Port."

Roger's eyes hardened "Thank you Norman."


End file.
